# on
## English
### Pronunciation

* (UK, Australia, Eastern New England) enPR: ŏn, IPA: /ɒn/
** Audio (UK):(file)
** Audio (General Australian):(file)
* (Southern US, Midland US, Philadelphia, Baltimore) IPA: /ɔn/
* (Southern US) IPA: /ɔʊn/
* (Northern US or cot–caught merger) enPR: än, IPA: /ɑn/
** Audio (US); /ɑn/:(file)
* (Canada) IPA: [ɒːn ~ ɔːn]
* Rhymes: -ɒn, -ɔːn
* Homophone: awn (Midland American English, Southern American English, Cot-Caught merger)

### Etymology 1

From Middle English on, from Old English on, an (“on, upon, onto, in, into”), from Proto-West Germanic *ana, from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on, at”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en-.
Cognate with North Frisian a (“on, in”), Saterland Frisian an (“on, at”), West Frisian oan (“on, at”), Dutch aan (“on, at, to”), Low German an (“on, at”), German an (“to, at, on”), Swedish å (“on, at, in”), Faroese á (“on, onto, in, at”), Icelandic á (“on, in”), Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌰 (ana), Ancient Greek ἀνά (aná, “up, upon”), Albanian në (“in”); and from Old Norse upp á: Danish på, Swedish på, Norwegian på, see upon.

#### Adjective

on (not comparable)
* In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
    Antonym: off
    All the lights are on, so they must be home.
* Happening; taking place; being or due to be put into action.
    We had to ration our food because there was a war on.
    Some of the cast went down with flu, but the show's still on.
    That TV programme that you wanted to watch is on now.
    This is her last song. You're on next!
    Are we still on for tonight?
    Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now.
    England need a hundred runs, with twenty-five overs remaining. Game on!
** (informal) Of a person, used to express agreement to or acceptance of a proposal or challenge made by that person; most commonly with subject "you" (see you're on).
    "Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ―"You're on!"
    If he wants a fight, he's on!
* Fitted; covering or being worn.
    Your feet will soon warm up once your socks are on.
    I was trying to drink out of the bottle while the top was still on!
* (postpositive) Of a stated part of something, oriented towards the viewer or other specified direction.
    The photograph shows the UFO side on.
    edge on, side on, end on, face on
* (chiefly UK, informal, usually negative) Acceptable, appropriate.
    It's not fair to do that – it's just not on.
** 1998 May 22, Phoenix Gamma, “If I was owned Nintendo...”, in alt.games.video.nintendo-64 (Usenet):This kind of over-packaging of goods is completely not on.
** 2003 August 12, DAB sounds worse than FM, “Gerg Dyke's Speech at Radio Festival”, in alt.radio.digital (Usenet):so Simon Nelson saying on Feedback "we'd prefer it if everybody listened to digital radio via DAB" is completely not on at all.
* (often negative) Possible; capable of being successfully carried out.
    Climbing up that steep ridge isn't on. We'll have to find another route.
    He'd like to play the red next to the black spot, but that shot isn't on.
* (e.g. of points in a game) Available; remaining.
    Smith is 25 points ahead with only 23 on.
* (Can we verify this sense?) (informal) Destined; involved, doomed.
* (baseball, informal) Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.
** 2019 February 24, Chris Kennedy, “Aggies Earn Series Win Over Yale in Sunday Finale”, in New Mexico State University Athletics‎:With one out and no men on, Tristen Carranza belted a ball to the opposite field for a solo home run to put the NM State deficit at just 2-1.
** 2019 April 6, Daniel Martinez-Krams, “Baseball Falls Short in Game 2 of UCLA Series”, in The Stanford Daily‎:Although Stanford was outhit 15-6, the Cardinal stranded eight runners to UCLA's three, hitting just 3-15 with runners on compared to the Bruin's 9-22.
* (cricket) Within the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman.
    Synonym: leg Antonym: off
    The captain moved two fielders to the on side.
    Ponsonby-Smythe hit a thumping on drive.
* (snooker, postpositive) Of a ball, being the next in sequence to be potted, according to the rules of the game.
    If the player fails to hit the ball on, it's a foul.
* (acting, drama, roleplaying games) Acting in character.
* (informal, of a person) Performative or funny in a wearying manner.
    He always has to be on, it's so exhausting.
* (euphemistic) Menstruating.
** 2011, Hollie Smith Netmums, You and Your Tween: Managing the years from 9 to 13, Hachette, →ISBN:It still gets in the way of her doing things like swimming, and she avoids sleepovers when she's "on".

##### Synonyms

* (baseball: positioned at a base): on base (not informal)

##### Translations
#### Adverb

on (not comparable)
For idiomatic meanings of phrasal verbs, such as carry on, hang on, have on, try on, etc., please see the individual entries.
* To an operating state.
    turn the television on
* So as to cover or be fitted.
    The lid wasn't screwed on properly.
    Put on your hat and gloves.
* Along, forwards (continuing an action), onwards.
    The policeman moved the tramp on.
    Drive on past the railway station.
    From now on things are going to be different.
    rock on
** 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎:He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant referee Andrew Garratt waved play on, with even a succession of replays proving inconclusive.
* In continuation, at length.
    and so on
    He rambled on and on.
* (obsolete in the US) Later.
    Ten years on, nothing had changed in the village.
* Of betting odds, denoting a better-than-even chance. See also odds-on.
    Antonym: against
    That horse is twenty-to-one on, so you need to stake twenty pounds just to win one pound.
* (snooker) Of a ball, into a pottable position.
    The black was previously unavailable, but in potting that red, he's now pushed the black on.

##### Synonyms

* (later): after, afterward/afterwards, later, subsequently, thence

##### Antonyms

* (antonym(s) of “active, functioning, operating”): off
* (antonym(s) of “to an operating state”): off

##### Descendants

* Tamil: ஆன் (āṉ)

##### Translations
#### Preposition

on
* Indicating position or location.
** Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
    A vase of flowers stood on the table.
    Please lie down on the couch.
    The parrot was sitting on Jim's shoulder.
*** 1845, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Bridge:I stood on the bridge at midnight.
** Positioned at or resting against the outer surface of; attached to.
    He had a scar on the side of his face.
    There is a dirty smudge on this window.
    The painting hangs on the wall.
    The fruit ripened on the trees.
    Should there be an accent on the "e"?
** Covering.
    He wore old shoes on his feet.
** At or in (a geographical location or position).
    The lighthouse that you can see is on the mainland.
    The suspect is thought to still be on the campus.
** At (a relative spatial position).
    We live on the edge of the city.
    on the left, on the right, on the side, on the bottom
** Near; adjacent to; alongside; just off.
    The fleet is on the American coast.
    Croton-on-Hudson, Rostov-on-Don, Southend-on-Sea
** Aboard (a mode of transport, especially public transport, or transport that one sits astride or uses while standing).
    on a bus, on a train, on a plane, on a ferry, on a yacht
    on a bicycle, on a motorbike, on a horse, on a scooter
* Expressing figurative placement, burden, or attachment.
    All of the responsibility is on him.
    I put a bet on the winning horse.
* Denoting physical contact or interaction with an object, such as impact or application of force.
** With verbs describing an action of pushing, pulling, pressing, etc., designates the thing to which force is applied.
    tug on the rope; push hard on the door
** With verbs describing an action of hitting, rubbing, scratching, binding against, etc., designates the thing impacted or contacted.
    I stubbed my toe on an old tree stump.
    I caught my fingernail on the door handle.
    The rope snagged on a branch.
** Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with.
    to play on a violin or piano
* Supported by (the specified part of itself).
    A table can't stand on two legs.
    After resting on his elbows, he stood on his toes, then walked on his heels.
* (UK) At (a certain value or level).
    The Tories are on twenty-five percent in this constituency.
    The blue team are on six points and the red team on five.
* At (a certain position within a sequence).
    I'm on question four.
* At or during the date or day of.
    Born on the 4th of July.
    On Sunday I'm busy. I'll see you on Monday.
    Can I see you on a different day?
* (UK, especially in sports reporting) At (a given time after the start of something).
    Smith scored again on twelve minutes, doubling Mudchester Rovers' lead.
** 2011 September 24, Aled Williams, “Chelsea 4-1 Swansea”, in BBC Sport:The Spain striker had given Chelsea the lead on 29 minutes but was shown a straight red card 10 minutes later for a rash challenge on Mark Gower.
* At (an instant or cusp).
    on the stroke of midnight; on the "B" of "Bang!"
    on the point of leaving; on the verge of giving up
* Dealing with the subject of; about; concerning.
    I was reading a book on history.
    The city hosted the World Summit on the Information Society
    I have no opinion on this subject.
** 1869 May, Anthony Trollope, “Lady Milborough as Ambassador”, in He Knew He Was Right, volume I, London: Strahan and Company, […], →OCLC, page 85:[...] I received a note from that gentleman on a most trivial matter. I answered it as trivially.
* Indicating a means or medium.
    I saw it on television.
    Can't you see I'm on the phone?
    My favorite shows are on BBC America.
    The Beatles' appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show is on YouTube.
    The film was released on DVD.
* Indicating the target of, or thing affected by, an event or action.
    They planned an attack on London.
    The soldiers mutinied and turned their guns on their officers.
    Her words made a lasting impression on my mind.
    What will be the effect on morale?
* (informal) In the possession of.
    I haven't got any money on me.
* Because of; due to; upon the basis of (something not yet confirmed as true).
    to arrest someone on suspicion of bribery
    to contact someone on a hunch
* (also often 'upon') At the time of (and often because of).
    On Jack's entry, William got up to leave.
    On the addition of ammonia, a chemical reaction begins.
* (also often 'upon') Arrived or coming into the presence of.
    I need to get my planting done, as the season will soon be on us.
    Before we knew it, the forest was on us, and the air grew colder and damper.
* Paid for by.
    The drinks are on me tonight, boys.
    The meal is on the house.
    I paid for the airfare and meals for my family, but the hotel room was on the company.
* Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.
    Have pity or compassion on him.
* (especially Ireland) Indicating the person experiencing an emotion, cold, thirst, hunger, etc.
    I had a terrible thirst on me.
** 2013 February 27, Rosemary Sutcliff, The Shining Company, Random House, →ISBN:' […] the hunger is on me to carry my sword in distant places.' Mynyddog bowed his head.
** 2017 January 24, Ruth Gilligan, Nine Folds Make a Paper Swan, Tin House Books, →ISBN:“Christ, the thirst on me.” “Sure, it's serious work, all that talk of independence.” The theater's stained-glass doors had first flung open in 1904, all in the hope of “rewriting the Irish identity,” of using culture in the fight […]
** 2017 August 29, Ralph Peters, Judgment at Appomattox: A Novel, Forge Books, →ISBN, page 18:“I've got the hunger on me, I do.” Riordan snorted. Hardly a man knew hunger as he did. The prison rations at Point Lookout, spare enough, had been a feast compared to the black years in Ireland. […]
* Indicating a means of subsistence or sustenance.
    They lived on ten dollars a week.
    The dog survived three weeks on rainwater.
** 1950s, UK Egg Marketing Board advertising slogan.
    Go to work on an egg.
* Engaged in or occupied with (an action or activity).
    He's on his lunch break.
    I'm on nights all this week.
    on vacation; on holiday; on a mission; on the job; on the fiddle
* Regularly taking (a drug).
    You've been on these antidepressants far too long.
* Under the influence of (a drug, or something that is causing drug-like effects).
    He's acting crazy because he's on crack right now.
* In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.
    heaps on heaps of food
    mischief on mischief; loss on loss
* Indicating dependence or reliance.
    I depended on them for assistance.
    He will promise on certain conditions.
* Serving as a member of.
    He is on the jury; I am on the committee.
* By virtue of; with the pledge of.
    He affirmed or promised on his word, or on his honour.
** (informal, chiefly in set phrases) Ellipsis of I swear on: on my life, on God, on everything, etc.
* To the account or detriment of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.
    On us be all the blame.
    A curse on him!
    Please don't tell on her and get her in trouble.
    He turned on her and has been her enemy ever since.
    He went all honest on me, making me listen to his confession.
** 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 27:25:His blood be on vs, and on our children.
* (especially when numbers of combatants or competitors are specified) Against; in opposition to.
    The fight was three on one, and he never stood a chance.
* (philosophy, logic) According to, from the standpoint of; expressing what must follow, whether accepted or not, if a given premise or system is assumed true.
** 2021, Gavin Ortlund, Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, →ISBN:On naturalism, it is therefore difficult to find a ground for ultimate moral hope.
* (snooker) In a position of being able to pot (a given ball).
    All the way around the table, off four cushions, and ... and he's on the black!
* (mathematics) Having as identical domain and codomain.
    a function on $\mathbb {R}$
* (mathematics) Having $V^{n}$ as domain and V as codomain, for the specified set V and some integer n.
    an operator on $\mathbb {Z}$
* (mathematics) Generated by.
    the free group on four letters
* (mathematics, uncommon) Divided by.
    Synonym: over
    Twenty on three.
* (obsolete or dialect, regional) Of.
    I never seen 'im, and that's the truth on it.
** 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:Be not jealous on me.
** c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:Or have we eaten on the insane root / That takes the reason prisoner?
* (obsolete) At the peril of, or for the safety of.
** a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The First Book of Homer’s Ilias”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 415:Hence on thy life: the captive maid is mine; / Whom not for price or pray'rs I will reſign: [...]

##### Synonyms

* (dealing with the subject of): about, apropos, as for; See also Thesaurus:about
* (because of): by dint of, due to; See also Thesaurus:because of

##### Derived terms

* depending on
* end-on
* follow-on
* full-on
* guidon
* hands-on
* hereon
* meson
* onballer
* on call, on-call
* on-campus
* on-chain
* onfield
* on foot
* onglaze
* ongoer
* ongoing
* on high
* onlap
* onlooker
* onpass
* on-prem
* onscreen
* onsell
* onsetter
* onshore
* onside
* onsides
* onsight
* on-site
* onstage
* on stream, onstream
* on time, on-time
* onto
* on-trade
* on-train
* onward
* onwards
* onz
* painted-on
* pull up on
* push up on
* run up on
* Stanton-on-the-Wolds
* strap-on
* thereon
* whereon

##### Related terms

* depend (on)
* put on airs

##### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

#### Verb

on (third-person singular simple present ons, present participle oning or onning, simple past and past participle oned or onned)
* (Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Nigeria, transitive, colloquial) To switch on.
    Synonym: turn on
    Can you on the light?

### Etymology 2

From Old Norse ón, án (“without”), from Proto-Germanic *ēnu, *ēno, *ino (“without”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḗnu (“without”). Cognate with North Frisian on (“without”), Middle Dutch an, on (“without”), Middle Low German āne (“without”), German ohne (“without”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌿 (inu, “without, except”).
Unlikely to be related to Ancient Greek ἄνευ (áneu, “without”), which likely akin to Proto-Germanic *sundraz instead (whence sunder).

#### Alternative forms

* ohn

#### Preposition

on
* (UK dialectal, Scotland) Without. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

##### Usage notes

* Usually followed by a present participle, as being, having, etc.

### Etymology 3

From Japanese 音読み (on'yomi, literally “sound reading”).

#### Noun

on
* In the Japanese language, a pronunciation, or reading, of a kanji character that was originally based on the character's pronunciation in Chinese, contrasted with kun.
    Most kanji have two kinds of reading, called "on" and "kun".

##### Related terms

* kun

### See also

* on dit (etymologically unrelated)

### References

* “on”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

### Anagrams

* Nº, NO, No, No., N.O., no, no.

## Azerbaijani
### Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *ōn (“ten”). Cognate with Old Turkic 𐰆𐰣 (on, “ten”).

### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Numeral

on
* ten

### References

* ↑ Starostin, Sergei, Dybo, Anna, Mudrak, Oleg (2003) “*ōn”, in Etymological dictionary of the Altaic languages (Handbuch der Orientalistik; VIII.8)‎, Leiden, New York, Köln: E.J. Brill

## Basque
### Etymology

From Proto-Basque *bon. Compare Iberian on (“good”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /on/ [õn]
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -on
* Hyphenation: on

### Adjective

on (comparative hobe, superlative onen or hoberen, excessive onegi)
* good
* useful, convenient

#### Declension
### Further reading

* “on”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
* “on”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

## Catalan
### Alternative forms

* ahont, hon, hont (archaic)
* ont

### Etymology

Inherited from Old Catalan on (“whence”), from Latin unde (“whence”). Compare Occitan ont, Old French ont (French dont), Spanish onde.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈon]
* Audio:(file)

### Adverb

on
* where

### References

* “on” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
* “on”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
* “on” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
* “on” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

## Central Franconian
### Alternative forms

* un (widely in free variation)
* en (some western dialects)

### Etymology

The native form in most dialects was Old High German indi, whence the variant en. In parts of the Eifel, this indi regularly becomes on (compare Luxembourgish an). In southern and eastern dialects, on the other hand, on may have been inherited from the Old High German variant unde (unti). From these two groups of dialects, the form will have spread, without doubt under influence of German und.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /on/

### Conjunction

on
* and
    Salz on Päfer
       salt and pepper

## Classical Nahuatl
### Pronoun

on, ōn
* (demonstrative) that; those

#### Related terms

* in

### References

* Michel Launey with Christopher Mackay (2011) An Introduction to Classical Nahuatl, Amazon Kindle: Cambridge University Press, page Loc 1408

## Cornish
### Alternative forms

* ôn

### Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *ognos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂egʷnós (“lamb”).

### Pronunciation

* (Revived Middle Cornish) IPA: [ɔːn]
* (Revived Late Cornish) IPA: [oːn]

### Noun

on m (plural en)
* lamb

## Crimean Tatar
### Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *ōn.

### Numeral

on
* ten

### References

* “on”, in Luğatçıq (in Russian)

## Czech
### Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech on, from Proto-Slavic *onъ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ónos.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈon]
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -on

### Pronoun

on m
* he (third person personal singular)

#### Declension

$^1$After a preposition. $^2$Animate.

#### Derived terms

* onak
* onaký
* onam
* onde
* ondy
* onehdy
* onen
* onkat

#### Related terms

$^1$ animate referents only, for inanimate ones ony is used.

### Further reading

* “on”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
* “on”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
* “on”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

## Dutch
### Adverb

on
* rarely used as shorthand for oneven (odd), the prefix on- means not (corresponds to English un-)

## Estonian
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈonː/, [ˈonː] (stressed)
* IPA: /on/, [on] (unstressed)
* Rhymes: -onː, -on
* Hyphenation: on

### Verb

on
* third-person singular present indicative of olema
* third-person plural present indicative of olema

## Finnish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈon/, [ˈo̞n]
* Rhymes: -on
* Hyphenation: on

### Verb

on
* third-person singular indicative present of olla
    Se on tuolla.It is there.
    Se on ollut tuolla.It has been there.

### Anagrams

* no

## French
### Alternative forms

* l’on (formal)

### Etymology

Inherited from Old French hom, om (nominative form), from Latin homō (“human being”) (compare homme from the Old French oblique form home, from the Latin accusative form hominem). Its pronominal use is of Germanic origin. Compare Old English man (“one, they, people”), reduced form of Old English mann (“person”); Catalan hom; German man (“one, they, people”); Dutch men (“one, they, people”). In the second sense, meaning "we", also compare the development Malay kita orang (“we (incl.) + person”) and the dialectal forms found in eastern Indonesia: kitorang, kitong, torang.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɔ̃/, (before a vowel) /ɔ.n‿/
* Audio:(file)
* Homophone: ont

### Pronoun

on
* (indefinite) one, people, you, someone (an unspecified individual)
    Synonyms: quelqu’un (in some contexts), l’on (formal)
** 2003, Natasha St. Pier, L’instant d’après (album), Quand on cherche l’amour (song)
    Quand on cherche l’amour…When one searches for love…
    On ne peut pas pêcher ici ― You can’t fish here
* (personal, informal) we
    Synonym: nous (in some contexts)
** 2021, Zaz, Tout là-haut:On oublie nos certitudesWe forget our certainties
    On s’est amusés. ― We had fun.

#### Usage notes

* In informal and standard conversational French, on has almost completely replaced the pronoun nous (“we”) to indicate that a sentence or clause has a first-person plural as its subject. However, nous is still favored in formal writing and speech, and is still used colloquially as a disjunctive reinforcing nominative on, as well as to indicate direct and indirect objects. It may be used for reflexive objects, but as this is potentially ambiguous, these are also indicated with the reflexive pronoun se — especially with reinforcement from disjunctive nous, which clarifies that the speaker means "we" and not "one," i.e. a generalized indefinite subject. This clarification can also be achieved by the use of tous.
    On est toujours là. ― We're still here.
    Nous, on s’y fait. ― We get used to it.
    On connait tous la chanson qu’elle chante. ― We all know which song she is singing.
    Nous, on l’a tous vu. ― We all saw it.
* The verb is always conjugated in the third-person singular, but if the pronoun refers to a first-person plural, the attribute agrees in gender and number.
    On est venu ici. ― One came here.
    On y est allés / allées. ― We went there.
    On est prêts / prêtes. ― We are ready.
* The variant l’on is used in more formal or literary contexts. Some use it especially after que (que l’on) to avoid the contraction qu’on, which is homophonous with the vulgar word con.

#### Related terms

$^1$ On can also function as a first person plural (although agreeing with third person singular verb forms). $^2$ Vous is also used as the polite singular form. $^3$ Ils and eux are also used when a group has a mixture of masculine and feminine members. $^4$ These forms are also used as third person plural reflexive.

#### Descendants

* → Esperanto: oni
** → Ido: onu

### Further reading

* “on”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

### Anagrams

* NO, nô

## German
### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

on (indeclinable, predicative only)
* (Internet slang, especially video games) Clipping of online.
    Coordinate term: off
    hab lust auf ne runde zocken, kommst du on?im down to game 4 a bit, are u coming on?

## German Low German
### Conjunction

on
* (in several dialects, including Low Prussian) Alternative form of un (and)
    Melk on Brotmilk and bread

## Guerrero Nahuatl
### Noun

on
* the

## Iberian
### Etymology

Unambiguously connected to Proto-Basque *bon, compare Basque on (“good, useful”).

### Adjective

on
* good

### References

* Villamor, Fernando (2020) A basic dictionary and grammar of the Iberian language

## Ido
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /on/, /ɔn/

### Pronoun

on
* Apocopic form of onu; one, someone, they (indefinite personal pronoun)

### See also

* The possessive plurals are seldom used.
* The shortened forms are preferred.
* The pangendered forms are preferred to the gendered or neuter forms in most scenarios.

## Interlingua
### Pronoun

on
* one (indefinite personal pronoun)

## Japanese
### Romanization

on
* Rōmaji transcription of おん

## Juǀ'hoan
### Pronunciation

* The nasal vowel IPA: /õ/

### Letter

on (upper case On)
* A letter of the Juǀ'hoan alphabet, written in the Latin script.

## Karaim
### Etymology 1

From Proto-Turkic *ōn. Compare to Crimean Tatar on, Karachay-Balkar он (on), Kumyk он (on), Urum он (on), etc.

#### Numeral

on
* ten

### Etymology 2

From Proto-Turkic *oŋ. Compare to Crimean Tatar oñ, Karachay-Balkar онг (oñ), Kumyk онг (oñ), Urum он (on), etc.

#### Noun

on
* right

### References

N. A. Baskakov, S.M. Šapšala, editor (1973), “on”, in Karaimsko-Russko-Polʹskij Slovarʹ [Karaim-Russian-Polish Dictionary], Moscow: Moskva, →ISBN

## Karelian
### Verb

on
* third-person singular indicative present of olla

## Lombard
### Alternative forms

* vun

### Etymology

From Old Lombard un, from Latin ūnus, from Old Latin oinos.

### Pronunciation

* (Milanese) IPA: /un/

### Article

on m (feminine ona, plural di)
* a

## Middle English
### Etymology 1

From Old English on, an, from Proto-West Germanic *an, from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on, at”).

#### Preposition

on
* on, in

#### Adverb

on
* on

##### Alternative forms

* (preposition): one, onne, hon, ane; an (before initial h or vowel); æn (Early Middle English)
* (adverb): one, onne, an

##### Descendants

* English: on
* Scots: an, on
* Yola: on

#### References

* “on, prep.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
* “on, adv.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

### Etymology 2

From Old English ān, from Proto-West Germanic *ain, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos. Compare an, oo.

#### Alternative forms

* (numeral, pronoun):
** oon, one, oen, oune, hon, none, an, anne, onne
** an, ane, auen, aune (Northern)
** auen, aune (north Midland)
** enne, onen, onenen (Kent)
** en, an, ane (Early Middle English)
** won, von, wone (Late Middle English)
* (adverb): oon, one; an (Northern); an, ane (Early Middle English)

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɔːn/, /ɔn/
* Rhymes: -ɔːn

#### Numeral

on
* one
** c. 1225, “Introduction”, in Ancrene Ƿiſſe (MS. Corpus Christi 402)‎, Herefordshire, published c. 1235, folios 6, verso – 7, recto; republished at Cambridge: Parker Library on the Web, 2018 January:Almihti godd· feader· ſune· hali gaſt· aſ ȝe beoð ϸreo an godd: alſƿa ȝe beoð an mihte· an ƿiſdom· ⁊ an luue […]Almighty God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as both three and one, while being one Might, one Wisdom, and one Love […]
** 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Prologe of the Tale of the Wẏf of Bathe”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 63, verso, lines 438-440:And but ye do / c[er]teyn we shal yow teche / that it is fair / to han a wyf in pees / Oon of vs two / moſte bowen douteleesAnd unless you do, we'll certainly teach you / that it's fair to have a wife in peace; / one of the two of us must without doubt submit.

##### Related terms

* allone
* elleven
* onen
* oneyed
* only
* onnesse

##### Descendants

* English: one, an, a, yan (dialectal)
* Geordie English: yen
* Scots: ane, wan, yin, ae
* Yola: oan, ane, own

#### Pronoun

on
* one

#### Adverb

on
* singly, by oneself, by itself

#### Determiner

on
* (Early Middle English) Alternative form of a (indefinite article)

#### References

* p. 1, Arthur; A Short Sketch of his Life and History in English Verse of the First Half of the Fifteenth Century, Frederick Furnivall ed. EETS. Trübner & Co.: London. 1864.
* “ō̆n, num.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
* “ō̆n, pron.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
* “ō̆n, adv.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

### Etymology 3
#### Verb

on
* (Early Middle English) first/third-person singular present of unnen

### Etymology 4
#### Noun

on (uncountable)
* Alternative form of wone (“course”)

### Etymology 5
#### Noun

on (uncountable)
* Alternative form of oven

## Northern Sami
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* (Kautokeino) IPA: /ˈoːn/

### Adverb

ōn
* again

#### Further reading

* Koponen, Eino, Ruppel, Klaas, Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages‎, Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland

## Occitan
### Alternative forms

* ond

### Pronunciation

* Audio (Gascony):(file)

### Adverb

on
* (Gascony) where

### References

* Patric Guilhemjoan, Diccionari elementari occitan-francés francés-occitan (gascon), 2005, Orthez, per noste, 2005, →ISBN, page 99.

## Old Czech
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *onъ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ónos.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (13th CE) /ˈon/
* IPA: (15th CE) /ˈon/

### Pronoun

on m sg (third person)
* he (masculine singular)

#### Descendants

* Czech: on

### Pronoun

on
* Alternative form of onen

### References

* Jan Gebauer (1903–1916) “on”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

## Old English
### Alternative forms

* an, a
* ᚩᚾ (ón) — Ruthwell Cross

### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *ana, from Proto-Germanic *ana.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /on/

### Preposition

on
* on, in, at, among [with accusative or dative or instrumental]
    On þæm huseIn the house
** late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans
    ...and ðā syndon swȳþe fæġere and lustsumlīce on tō sēonne......and those are very beautiful and pleasant to look at...
** Early 11th c., Defensor's translation of Liber Scintillarum
    ...nā besēoh þū on wīfes hiw......do not look at a woman's appearance...
* on, during [with accusative]
    On midne winterIn mid-winter
* onto, into (to express allative motion or a change of state) [with accusative]
    On þæt husInto the house
    Heo awende þa boc on EngliscShe translated the book into English

### Adverb

on
* (with verbs of taking or depriving) from

#### Descendants

* Middle English: an, on, one, onne, hon, ane, an (before initial h or vowel), æn (Early Middle English), one, onne, an
** English: on
** Scots: an, on
** Yola: on

## Old French
### Alternative forms

* hon

### Etymology

See hom, om.

### Pronoun

on
* one (gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun)

#### Descendants

* French: on

## Old Frisian
### Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *an, from Proto-Germanic *an (“on”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“up”). Cognates include Old English on, Old Saxon ana and Old Dutch ana.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /on/

### Preposition

on
* on

#### Descendants

* North Frisian: a
* Saterland Frisian: an, oun
* West Frisian: oan

#### References

* Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN

## Old Irish
### Pronoun

on
* Alternative spelling of ón

### Article

on
* Alternative spelling of ón

## Old Polish
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *onъ. First attested in the 14th century.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (10th–15th CE) /ɔn/
* IPA: (15th CE) /ɔn/

### Pronoun

on
* he (for animate nouns), it (for inanimate nouns)
* this (demonstrative)

#### Declension

This pronoun needs an inflection-table template.

#### Descendants

* Polish: on
* Silesian: ôn

### References

* B. Sieradzka-Baziur, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (2011–2015), “on”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN

## Polish
### Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish on. The oblique case forms come from Proto-Slavic *jь.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɔn/
* (Middle Polish) IPA: /ˈɔn/, /ˈon/
* Audio 1:(file)
* Audio 2:(file)
* Audio 3:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɔn
* Syllabification: on
* Homophone: -on

### Pronoun

on m (feminine ona, neuter ono)
* he (for animate nouns), it (for inanimate nouns)

#### Declension
### Pronoun

on
* (dated, demonstrative) this

#### Declension
### See also

* Appendix:Polish pronouns

### Trivia

According to Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej (1990), on is one of the most used words in Polish, appearing 1477 times in scientific texts, 677 times in news, 976 times in essays, 1957 times in fiction, and 1617 times in plays, each out of a corpus of 100,000 words, totaling 6650 times, making it the 8th most common word in a corpus of 500,000 words.

### References

* ↑ Ida Kurcz (1990) “on”, in Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej [Frequency dictionary of the Polish language] (in Polish), volume 1, Kraków, Warszawa: Polska Akademia Nauk. Instytut Języka Polskiego, page 333

### Further reading

* on in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
* on in Polish dictionaries at PWN
* Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “on”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
* Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “on”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
* “ON I”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century], 2021 November 3
* “ON II”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century], 2020 March 30
* Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “on”, in Słownik języka polskiego
* Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “on”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
* J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1904), “on”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 3, Warsaw, page 779

## Romani
### Alternative forms

* jon, jone

### Pronoun

on
* they

#### See also
### References

* ↑ Boretzky, Norbert, Igla, Birgit (1994) “on”, in Wörterbuch Romani-Deutsch-Englisch für den südosteuropäischen Raum : mit einer Grammatik der Dialektvarianten [Romani-German-English dictionary for the Southern European region] (in German), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, →ISBN, page 201a
* ↑ Marcel Courthiade (2009) “on B-ćham: len”, in Melinda Rézműves, editor, Morri angluni rromane ćhibǎqi evroputni lavustik = Első rromani nyelvű európai szótáram : cigány, magyar, angol, francia, spanyol, német, ukrán, román, horvát, szlovák, görög [My First European-Romani Dictionary: Romani, Hungarian, English, French, Spanish, German, Ukrainian, Romanian, Croatian, Slovak, Greek] (overall work in Hungarian and English), Budapest: Fővárosi Onkormányzat Cigány Ház--Romano Kher, →ISBN, page 260b
* ↑ Yaron Matras and Evangelina Adamou (2020) “Romani and Contact Linguistics”, in Yaron Matras, Anton Tenser, editors, The Palgrave Handbook of Romani Language and Linguistics, →DOI, →ISBN, page 341

## Romansch
### Alternative forms

* onn (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Surmiran)
* an (Puter)

### Etymology

From Latin annus.

### Noun

on m (plural ons)
* (Sutsilvan, Vallader) year

## Salar
### Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *ōn.

### Numeral

on (3rd person possessive [please provide], plural [please provide])
* ten

## Sedang
### Etymology

From Proto-Bahnaric *ʔuɲ. Cognate with Bahnar ŭnh and Hrê ùnh.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ʔɔn/

### Noun

on
* fire

## Serbo-Croatian
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *onъ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ónos.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ôːn/
* Audio (Central Serbia):(file)

### Pronoun

ȏn (Cyrillic spelling о̑н)
* he

#### See also

* njezin
* njegov

## Slovak
### Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *onъ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ónos; inflected forms from Proto-Slavic *jь, from Proto-Indo-European *éy.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɔn/

### Pronoun

on m
* he, it (third-person singular pronoun)

#### Related terms

* masculine animate only, ony otherwise

### Further reading

* “on”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

## Slovene
### Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *onъ, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ónos.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɔ́n/

### Pronoun

ȍn
* he
* (obsolete) onkanje form

#### Usage notes

The second binding singular form (-enj) is used when the prefix ends in a consonant:
* zȃnj (za- + -nj)
* skọ̑zenj (skoz- + -enj)

#### Inflection
### Further reading

* “on”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran
* “on”, in Termania, Amebis
* See also the general references

### Anagrams

* No., No, no., Nº, no, NO, N.O.

## Southeastern Tepehuan
### Etymology

From Proto-Uto-Aztecan *ona.

### Noun

on
* salt

### References

* R. de Willett, Elizabeth, et al. (2016) Diccionario tepehuano de Santa María Ocotán, Durango (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 48)‎ (in Spanish), electronic edition, Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., page 140

## Swedish
### Noun

on
* indefinite plural of o

### Anagrams

* NO, no.

## Tagalog
### Etymology

Borrowed from English on.

### Pronunciation

* (Standard Tagalog) IPA: /ˈʔon/ [ˈʔon̪]
* Rhymes: -on
* Syllabification: on

### Adjective

on (Baybayin spelling ᜂᜈ᜔) (slang)
* in a relationship with someone

#### Derived terms

* mag-on

### Anagrams

* no, 'no

## Turkish
### Etymology

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish اون (on), from Proto-Turkic *ōn (“ten”). Compare Old Turkic 𐰆𐰣 (un¹ /⁠on⁠/, “ten”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /on/
* Audio:(file)

### Numeral

on
* ten

#### Declension
## Turkmen
### Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *ōn (“ten”).

### Numeral

on
* ten

## Venetan
### Article

on m sg
* a, an

#### Usage notes

* Variant of un

## Volapük
### Etymology

Borrowed from French on.

### Pronoun

on
* it
* (obsolete, indefinite personal pronoun) one

#### Declension
## Votic
### Pronunciation

* (Luutsa, Liivtšülä) IPA: /ˈon/, [ˈon]
* Rhymes: -on
* Hyphenation: on

### Verb

on
* third-person singular indicative present of õllõ

## Walloon
### Alternative forms

* onk

### Etymology

From Latin ūnum.

### Pronunciation

IPA: /ɔ̃/

### Article

on (masculine before a vowel: in-, feminine: ine)
* an, a
    on tchin ― a dog
    in-åbe ― a tree
    ine minte ― a lie

### Numeral

on
* one

## Yola
### Alternative forms

* an
* ana (before consonant)
* a (unstressed)

### Etymology

From Middle English on, an, from Old English on.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɔn/, /an/, /anə/, /ə/

### Preposition

on
* on
** 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 94:An a priesth o' parieshe on his lhaung-tyel garraane.And the priest of the parish on his long tail pony.
** 1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 2, page 94:An a priesth o parieshe on his garrane baun,The priest of the parish on his white pony,
** 1867, “CASTEALE CUDDE'S LAMENTATION”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 5, page 104:Mizluck mye lhygt on Tam Busheare;Bad luck may light on Tom Busheare;
** 1867, DR. RUSSELL ON THE INHABITANTS AND DIALECT OF THE BARONY OF FORTH, page 131:Fad didn'st thou cum t' ouz on zum other dey?[Why didn't you come to us on some other day?]

### References

* Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 94