# -u
## Albanian
### Etymology

Suffixed definite article attached on nouns ending with g, k, h. From the ending Proto-Indo-European *-osyo. cognate to Messapic -aihi.
Related to Albanian -i (“of the, etc.”), Albanian i (“of, the, to”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [u]

### Article

-u m
* masculine singular nominative and accusative suffixed definite article: the
    ‎zog (“bird”) + ‎-u → ‎zogu (“the bird”)
    ‎treg (“market”) + ‎-u → ‎tregu (“the market”)
    ‎flok (“hair”) + ‎-u → ‎floku (“the hair”)
    ‎plak (“old man”) + ‎-u → ‎plaku (“the old man”)
    ‎gjynah (“sin”) + ‎-u → ‎gjynahu (“the sin”)
    ‎jeh (“echo”) + ‎-u → ‎jehu (“the echo”)
       (note: -u shifts towards -i among some Gheg dialects; zogi instead of zogu)

#### Related terms

* (suffixed article, suffix): -a, -e, -ë, -i, -o, -ia, -ja, -je, -jë, -at, -et, -ët, -it, -ot, -ut, -të, -ri, -ishte, -ishtja
* (article, preposition): e, i, së, të

### References

* ↑ Matzinger 2015, pp. 62–66
* ↑ Ismajli 2015, pp. 65–68.
* ↑ Matzinger, Joachim (2017). "The Lexicon of Albanian". In Klein, Jared; Joseph, Brian; Fritz, Matthias (eds.). Handbook of Comparative and Historical Indo-European Linguistics. 3. Walter de Gruyter.

## Chuukese
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Suffix

-u
* out, outwards; used to modify verb direction

## Esperanto
### Etymology 1

Etymology unclear. Perhaps from the Greek -ou imperative (pronounced [u]) of deponent verbs such as dekhou “receive!”, or from the Hebrew imperative -û. It may instead—or also—be connected to the vowel of the Esperanto conditional suffix -us, minus the s of the indicative inflections.

#### Suffix

-u
* volitive inflection of verbs, indicating that an action or state is desired, requested, ordered, or aimed for.
    Donu ĝin al mi.Give it to me. (expresses a request or command)
    Ni faru tion.Let's do that. (expresses a desire or aim)
    Mi iru dormi.I ought to go to sleep. (expresses desirability of the action)
    Via infano sukcesu en la vivo.May your child be successful in life. (wish or desire)
    Mi volas, ke vi helpu min.I want you to help me. (desire)
    Ŝi petas, ke mi silentu.She asks that I be silent. (request)

### Etymology 2

Apparently connected to the u at the end of unu (“one, a certain”).

#### Suffix

-u
* -one. (Ending of the individual correlatives.)
    kiu (“what individual, who”)
    tiu (“that individual, that one”)
    ĉiu (“all individuals, everyone”)
    iu (“some individual, someone”)
    neniu (“no individual, nobody”)
    (unofficial) aliu (“another individual, someone else”)

## Estonian
### Etymology

From Proto-Uralic *-w (as applied to stems ending in -e). Cognate with Finnish -u.

### Suffix

-u (genitive -u, partitive -u)
* Derives nouns from verbs or prefixes
    jagama "to divide" → jagu "a part, a share"
    kaduma "to disappear" → kadu "loss, losing"
    sise- "inside" → sisu "content"
    pesema "to wash" → pesu "wash, washing"

#### Derived terms
## Finnish
### Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *-u, from Proto-Uralic *-w (as applied to stems ending in -e or -ä). Cognate with Estonian -u.

### Suffix

-u (front vowel harmony variant -y, linguistic notation -U)
* Forms nouns from verbs. Most common with e- and i-stem verbs.
    ‎hyppiä (“to be jumping”) + ‎-u → ‎hyppy (“jump”)
    ‎itkeä (“to cry”) + ‎-u → ‎itku (“cry(ing)”)
    ‎pestä (“to wash”) + ‎-u → ‎pesu (“wash(ing)”)
    ‎potkia (“to kick”) + ‎-u → ‎potku (“kick”)
    ‎urheilla (“to practice sport”) + ‎-u → ‎urheilu (“sport”)
* Derives a number of nouns from other nouns.
    ‎silmä (“eye”) + ‎-u → ‎silmu (“bud”)
    ‎sisä- (“inside”) + ‎-u → ‎sisu (“determination, perseverance”)

#### Usage notes

The front-harmonic variant -y is only used when the first vowel of the word is one of the harmonic front vowels -y-, -ä-, -ö-; words beginning with neutral front vowels -e-, -i- take the back-harmonic variant.

#### Declension

Possessive forms of -u (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-uni
-uni
accusative
nom.
-uni
-uni
gen.
-uni
genitive
-uni
-ujeni
partitive
-uani
-ujani
inessive
-ussani
-uissani
elative
-ustani
-uistani
illative
-uuni
-uihini
adessive
-ullani
-uillani
ablative
-ultani
-uiltani
allative
-ulleni
-uilleni
essive
-unani
-uinani
translative
-ukseni
-uikseni
abessive
-uttani
-uittani
instructive
comitative
—-uineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-usi
-usi
accusative
nom.
-usi
-usi
gen.
-usi
genitive
-usi
-ujesi
partitive
-uasi
-ujasi
inessive
-ussasi
-uissasi
elative
-ustasi
-uistasi
illative
-uusi
-uihisi
adessive
-ullasi
-uillasi
ablative
-ultasi
-uiltasi
allative
-ullesi
-uillesi
essive
-unasi
-uinasi
translative
-uksesi
-uiksesi
abessive
-uttasi
-uittasi
instructive
comitative
—-uinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-umme
-umme
accusative
nom.
-umme
-umme
gen.
-umme
genitive
-umme
-ujemme
partitive
-uamme
-ujamme
inessive
-ussamme
-uissamme
elative
-ustamme
-uistamme
illative
-uumme
-uihimme
adessive
-ullamme
-uillamme
ablative
-ultamme
-uiltamme
allative
-ullemme
-uillemme
essive
-unamme
-uinamme
translative
-uksemme
-uiksemme
abessive
-uttamme
-uittamme
instructive
comitative
—-uinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-unne
-unne
accusative
nom.
-unne
-unne
gen.
-unne
genitive
-unne
-ujenne
partitive
-uanne
-ujanne
inessive
-ussanne
-uissanne
elative
-ustanne
-uistanne
illative
-uunne
-uihinne
adessive
-ullanne
-uillanne
ablative
-ultanne
-uiltanne
allative
-ullenne
-uillenne
essive
-unanne
-uinanne
translative
-uksenne
-uiksenne
abessive
-uttanne
-uittanne
instructive
comitative
—-uinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-unsa
-unsa
accusative
nom.
-unsa
-unsa
gen.
-unsa
genitive
-unsa
-ujensa
partitive
-uaan -uansa
-ujaan -ujansa
inessive
-ussaan -ussansa
-uissaan -uissansa
elative
-ustaan -ustansa
-uistaan -uistansa
illative
-uunsa
-uihinsa
adessive
-ullaan -ullansa
-uillaan -uillansa
ablative
-ultaan -ultansa
-uiltaan -uiltansa
allative
-ulleen -ullensa
-uilleen -uillensa
essive
-unaan -unansa
-uinaan -uinansa
translative
-ukseen -uksensa
-uikseen -uiksensa
abessive
-uttaan -uttansa
-uittaan -uittansa
instructive
comitative
—-uineen -uinensa :
Possessive forms of -u (Kotus type 2/palvelu, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-uni
-uni
accusative
nom.
-uni
-uni
gen.
-uni
genitive
-uni
-ujeni -uideni -uitteni
partitive
-uani
-ujani -uitani
inessive
-ussani
-uissani
elative
-ustani
-uistani
illative
-uuni
-uihini
adessive
-ullani
-uillani
ablative
-ultani
-uiltani
allative
-ulleni
-uilleni
essive
-unani
-uinani
translative
-ukseni
-uikseni
abessive
-uttani
-uittani
instructive
comitative
—-uineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-usi
-usi
accusative
nom.
-usi
-usi
gen.
-usi
genitive
-usi
-ujesi -uidesi -uittesi
partitive
-uasi
-ujasi -uitasi
inessive
-ussasi
-uissasi
elative
-ustasi
-uistasi
illative
-uusi
-uihisi
adessive
-ullasi
-uillasi
ablative
-ultasi
-uiltasi
allative
-ullesi
-uillesi
essive
-unasi
-uinasi
translative
-uksesi
-uiksesi
abessive
-uttasi
-uittasi
instructive
comitative
—-uinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-umme
-umme
accusative
nom.
-umme
-umme
gen.
-umme
genitive
-umme
-ujemme -uidemme -uittemme
partitive
-uamme
-ujamme -uitamme
inessive
-ussamme
-uissamme
elative
-ustamme
-uistamme
illative
-uumme
-uihimme
adessive
-ullamme
-uillamme
ablative
-ultamme
-uiltamme
allative
-ullemme
-uillemme
essive
-unamme
-uinamme
translative
-uksemme
-uiksemme
abessive
-uttamme
-uittamme
instructive
comitative
—-uinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-unne
-unne
accusative
nom.
-unne
-unne
gen.
-unne
genitive
-unne
-ujenne -uidenne -uittenne
partitive
-uanne
-ujanne -uitanne
inessive
-ussanne
-uissanne
elative
-ustanne
-uistanne
illative
-uunne
-uihinne
adessive
-ullanne
-uillanne
ablative
-ultanne
-uiltanne
allative
-ullenne
-uillenne
essive
-unanne
-uinanne
translative
-uksenne
-uiksenne
abessive
-uttanne
-uittanne
instructive
comitative
—-uinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
-unsa
-unsa
accusative
nom.
-unsa
-unsa
gen.
-unsa
genitive
-unsa
-ujensa -uidensa -uittensa
partitive
-uaan -uansa
-ujaan -uitaan -ujansa -uitansa
inessive
-ussaan -ussansa
-uissaan -uissansa
elative
-ustaan -ustansa
-uistaan -uistansa
illative
-uunsa
-uihinsa
adessive
-ullaan -ullansa
-uillaan -uillansa
ablative
-ultaan -ultansa
-uiltaan -uiltansa
allative
-ulleen -ullensa
-uilleen -uillensa
essive
-unaan -unansa
-uinaan -uinansa
translative
-ukseen -uksensa
-uikseen -uiksensa
abessive
-uttaan -uttansa
-uittaan -uittansa
instructive
comitative
—-uineen -uinensa :
Note that if the stem has gradation, it is (almost always) preserved.

#### Derived terms

* -ukka
* -ula
* -uli
* -ura

#### See also

* -o
* -uu

## French
### Etymology

Inherited from Latin -ūtus.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /y/

### Suffix

-u
* Forming adjectives having the sense of ‘having quality of, being provided with’ (the root word).
    ‎barbe (“beard”) + ‎-u → ‎barbu (“bearded”)
    ‎ventre (“belly”) + ‎-u → ‎ventru (“pot-bellied, rounded”)

#### Derived terms
### References

* ↑ -u, -ue; in: Jacqueline Picoche, Jean-Claude Rolland, Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris 2009, Dictionnaires Le Robert

## Gothic
### Romanization

-u
* Romanization of -𐌿

## Greenlandic
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Pronunciation

* (Nuuk) IPA: /-u/, [-ʊ]

### Suffix

-u (n-v$^?$, truncative$^?$, uses -j- as interfix$^?$)
* be
    ilinniartitsisoq (“teacher”) -> ilinniartitsisiuuvugut (“we are teachers”) .
    Ukiuuvoq.
       It is winter.
** 1998 May 7, “Tasiilami efterskoleqalernissaa Jakob Sivertsen-ip sulissutigaa”, in Atuagagdliutit / Grønlandsposten:Inatsisartunut ilaasortaq Jakob Sivertsen Atassummeersoq ilungersornertuujuvoq.MP Jakob Sivertsen, of Atassut, is diligent.
** 1992, “Meeqqakka”, in Atuagagdliutit/Grønlandsposten:Ernerput anguteqatiminoortartunngorsimavoq (19-inik ukioqarluni paasineqarpoq), niviarsiararlu nukarleq arnaqatiminoortartunngorsimalluni. Akulleq pissusissamisoortuuvoq.Our son has become gay (it was discovered when he was 19 years old), and the youngest girl has become a lesbian. The middle [child] is as she should be [i.e. heterosexual].

#### Usage notes

May become additive after a strong q base.

### References

* Bjørnum, S.: Grønlandsk Grammatik, p. 275. Atuagkat 2003.
* Vestgrønlands Grammatik, p. 81, F.A.J. Nielsen, 2014
* -u in Katersat

## Hungarian
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [u]

### Suffix

-u
* (diminutive suffix) Added to a noun or a proper noun to form a diminutive.
    apa (“father”) → apu (“dad”)

#### Derived terms

* -us

### See also

* Appendix:Hungarian suffixes

## Ido
### Etymology

Common vowel found in pronouns in Romance languages: French tu, Italian tu and Spanish tú, also in French vous and as an o in Italian voi and Spanish vos, etc. (Compare tu and vu)

### Suffix

-u
* suffix used to form pronouns indicating a person
    ‎omna (“all, every”) + ‎-u → ‎omnu (“everyone”)

#### Usage notes

As it is used to form pronouns, you cannot use it to create nouns. Instead, to form an agent from an adjective like felica (“happy”), you just make it a noun: felico (“a happy person”).

#### Derived terms
## Ingrian
### Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *-u. Cognates include Finnish -u and Estonian -u.

### Pronunciation

* (Ala-Laukaa) IPA: /-u/, [-u]
* (Soikkola) IPA: /-u/, [-u]

### Suffix

-u (front vowel variant -y)
* Used to form nouns from verbs.

#### Derived terms
## Inuktitut
### Alternative forms

* -ngu (used after double-vowel or long vowel)
* -iu (used after word-final /t/)

### Verb

-u (Syllabics -ᐅ)
* to be (copula)
    angunasuktiujuq.He is a hunter.

#### Usage notes

When used on words ending with /k/ or /q/ the affix deletes the final consonant.

## Japanese
### Romanization

-u
* Rōmaji transcription of う

## Kongo
### Suffix

-u
* used to form nouns denoting action or result of action

## Latin
### Suffix

-ū
* ablative/locative singular of -us for fourth-declension nouns.

#### Usage notes

This ending is used for all singular forms in the fourth declension except the genitive singular (which still uses -ūs). This even replaces -uī in the dative singular, something that does not occur in the other declension patterns.

## Maltese
### Alternative forms

* -h (after a vowel)

### Etymology

From Arabic ـهُ (-hu).

### Suffix

-u
* 3rd-person masculine singular pronominal suffix: his, him
    Synonym: tiegħu (only in possessive use)
    ‎sħab (“friends”) + ‎-u → ‎sħabu (“his friends”)
    ‎taħt (“under”) + ‎-u → ‎taħtu (“under him”)
    ‎jinsa (“he forgets”) + ‎-u → ‎jinsieh (“he forgets him”)

#### Related terms

* hu
* huwa

## Maori
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Suffix

-u
* Used in contractions with particles of possession to mean you

#### See also
## Northern Sami
### Pronunciation

* This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!

### Etymology 1

From Proto-Samic *-ō. Cognate with Finnish -o.

#### Suffix

-u
* Forms result or action nouns from verbs.

##### Usage notes

* This suffix triggers the strong grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

##### Derived terms
### Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Suffix

-u
* Form of the suffix -i used with verbs in -ut.

##### Usage notes

* This suffix triggers the strongest grade on a preceding stressed syllable.

##### Derived terms
## Old English
### Alternative forms

* -o

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /u/

### Etymology 1

From suppletive fusion of ō-stem feminine singular nominative ending -u and Proto-Germanic *-į̄ (“feminine abstract ending”). Akin to Gothic feminine abstracts in -𐌴𐌹 (-ei) (compare 𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌴𐌹 (mikilei, “greatness”); 𐌳𐌹𐌿𐍀𐌴𐌹 (diupei, “depth”)).

#### Suffix

-u f
* ending used to form abstract nouns from adjectives (compare Modern English -ness), normally causing i-mutation, and remaining even when preceded by a long syllable
    ‎eald (“old”) + ‎-u → ‎ieldu (“age”)
    ‎hāliġ (“holy, sacred; pious”) + ‎-u → ‎hāliġu (“holiness”)
    ‎hāl (“sound, healthy, intact”) + ‎-u → ‎hǣlu (“wholeness, health”)
    ‎hāt (“hot”) + ‎-u → ‎hǣtu (“heat, warmth”)
    ‎mennisċ (“human, natural, humane”) + ‎-u → ‎mennisċu (“humanity”)
    ‎miċel (“big, large; great”) + ‎-u → ‎miċelu (“greatness, size”)

##### Usage notes

According to Ringe and Taylor, this suffix began as indeclinable *-i in the singular and nominative/accusative plural, before the ō-stem feminine nominative singular was borrowed. In Anglian, the new ending was then extended to the rest of these forms. This same extension was not complete in Early West Saxon, but eventually won out in Late West Saxon. Spellings of these forms with -o, and rarely -a, reflect the merger of unstressed back vowels in later Old English

##### Declension

Strong īn-stem:

##### Derived terms
### Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-ō. Apocope should have caused the loss of this ending after heavy stems, but the Anglian dialects generally retained it by analogy with short stems, or for its morphological significance. In West Saxon, this apocope led to replacement with the subjunctive singular -e, which was then extended to short stem verbs as well.

#### Suffix

-u (Anglian)
* Used to form the first person singular present indicative of strong verbs and class I weak verbs
    ‎beran (“bear”) + ‎-u → ‎beru (“I bear”)
    ‎drīfan (“drive out”) + ‎-u → ‎drīfu (“I drive out”)
    ‎sellan (“give”) + ‎-u → ‎sellu (“I give”)

### Etymology 3

From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-ō

#### Suffix

-u f
* Used to form the nominative singular of short ō-stem nouns
    ġiefu (“gift”)
    lufu (“love”)

### Etymology 4

From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-uz

#### Suffix

-u
* Used to form the nominative and accusative singular of short u-stem nouns
    sunu (“son”)
    wudu (“forest”)

### Etymology 5

From Proto-West Germanic *-u, from Proto-Germanic *-ō

#### Suffix

-u n
* Used to form the nominative and accusative plural of short a-stem and all ija-stem neuter nouns
    ‎clif (“cliff”) + ‎-u → ‎clifu (“cliffs”)
    ‎sċip (“ship”) + ‎-u → ‎sċipu (“ships”)
    ‎rīċe (“kingdom”) + ‎-u → ‎rīċu (“kingdoms”)

### Etymology 6
#### Suffix

-u
* Forms the strong nominative feminine singular and strong nominative/accusative neuter plural of adjectives
    ‎unārīmedlīċ + ‎-u → ‎unārīmedlīċu

## Old French
### Etymology

From Latin -ūtus.

### Suffix

-u
* suffixed used to form adjectives (oblique masculine singular) from nouns

#### Derived terms

* boçu
* foillu

#### Descendants

* Middle French: -u
** French: -u

## Old Irish
### Suffix

-u
* Alternative form of -iu (when the preceding consonant (cluster) isn't palatalised)

## Phalura
### Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /-u, -o/

#### Suffix

-u
* Masculine singular agreement suffix

#### References

* Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-u”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎, Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

### Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /-u, -o/

#### Suffix

-u
* Masculine nominative/singular agreement suffix

#### References

* Henrik Liljegren, Naseem Haider (2011) “-u”, in Palula Vocabulary (FLI Language and Culture Series; 7)‎, Islamabad, Pakistan: Forum for Language Initiatives, →ISBN

## Polish
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /u/
* Rhymes: -u
* Syllabification: [please specify syllabification manually]
* Homophones: ó, u, u-, -u-

### Suffix

-u
* (sometimes archaic) forms the masculine dative singular, now used to create adverbs, always used in conjunction with po
    ‎polski + ‎-u → ‎po polsku
* forms the inanimate masculine genitive singular after soft or historically soft stems
    ‎kowal + ‎-u → ‎kowalu
* (rare) forms the masculine dative singular in certain words
    ‎chłopiec + ‎-u → ‎chłopcu
* forms the masculine locative singular
    ‎kowal + ‎-u → ‎kowalu
* forms the masculine vocative singular
    ‎kowal + ‎-u → ‎kowalu
* forms the feminine vocative singular after -ś and -ź
    ‎mamusia + ‎-u → ‎mamusiu
* forms the neuter dative singular in soft and velar stems
    ‎pole + ‎-u → ‎polu
    ‎stoisko + ‎-u → ‎stoisku
* forms the neuter locative singular in soft and velar stems
    ‎pole + ‎-u → ‎polu
    ‎stoisko + ‎-u → ‎stoisku

#### Derived terms
### Further reading

* -u in Polish dictionaries at PWN

## Turkish
### Etymology 1

Accusative suffix.

#### Suffix

-u
* Form of -i after the vowels O / U.
    ‎doktor (“doctor”) + ‎-u → ‎doktoru

### Etymology 2

Possessive suffix.

#### Suffix

-u
* Form of -i after the vowels O / U.
    ‎pantolon (“pants”) + ‎-u → ‎pantolonu (“his/her pants”)

### Etymology 3

Derivative suffix.

#### Suffix

-u
* Form of -i after the vowels O / U.
** Derives nouns from verbs.
    ‎duy- (“to feel, to sense”) + ‎-u → ‎duyu (“sense”)

## Welsh
### Etymology

From Middle Welsh -u, from Proto-Brythonic *-oβ̃.

### Pronunciation

* (North Wales) IPA: /ɨ̞/
* (South Wales) IPA: /i/

### Suffix

-u
* Forms verbnouns from verb stems.
    Synonyms: -a, -ed, -eg, -i, -o, -io

#### Usage notes

This suffix is mostly used where the vowel in the last syllable is a, ae, e, or y.

#### Derived terms
### References

* ↑ Morris Jones, John (1913) A Welsh Grammar, Historical and Comparative, Oxford: Clarendon Press, § 202 iii