nå
Cimbrian
Etymology
From Middle High German nāch, from Old High German nāh. Cognate with German nach; see there for more.
Related terms
References
- Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien
Danish
Etymology 1
From Old Norse ná, from Proto-Germanic *nēhwijaną, cognate with Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐍈𐌾𐌰𐌽 (nēƕjan, “to approach”). Derived from *nēhwaz (“near”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /nɔːˀ/, [ˈnɔˀ]
- Rhymes: -ɑː
Verb
Conjugation
Etymology 2
Possibly originally an unstressed variant of nu (“now”). Compare also German na (“well, oh”)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /nɔ/, [ˈnʌ]
Usage notes
Like English oh, meaning depends almost entirely on context and intonation.
German Low German
Preposition
nå
- (Mecklenburgisch) Alternative spelling of nao (“to, towards”)
- 2018, Susanne Bliemel, Dat wier de Nachtigall un nich de Uhl ... : Plattdeutsche Geschichten, Hinstorff (publisher)
- Un ik bün jå in Polen nå Schaul gåhn vun Lemberg ut, ik kunn Polnisch.
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 2018, Susanne Bliemel, Dat wier de Nachtigall un nich de Uhl ... : Plattdeutsche Geschichten, Hinstorff (publisher)
Norwegian Bokmål
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /noː/
- Rhymes: -oː
Derived terms
References
- “nå” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /noː/
- Rhymes: -oː
Derived terms
References
- “nå” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Swedish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /noː/, [noə̯]
audio (Gotland) (file) - Rhymes: -oː
Etymology 1
From Old Swedish na, from Old Norse ná. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach, to attain”).
Verb
nå (present når, preterite nådde, supine nått, imperative nå)
- to reach, attain
- 1870, Johan Ludvig Runeberg, Mitt liv:
- Var är hoppets guldkust gömd,
aldrig nådd och aldrig glömd?- Where is the golden coast of hope hidden,
never reached and never forgotten?
- Where is the golden coast of hope hidden,
- 1939, Selma Lagerlöf, - Slåtterkarlarna på Ekolsund
- Han når sin önskans mål och slår sin sista äng
just som en restrött sol sig sänkt i västerns säng.- He reaches his wish's goal and harvests his last meadow
just as a travelweary sun has lowered itself into the western bed.
- He reaches his wish's goal and harvests his last meadow
Conjugation
Active | Passive | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Infinitive | nå | nås | ||
Supine | nått | nåtts | ||
Imperative | nå | — | ||
Imper. plural1 | nån | — | ||
Present | Past | Present | Past | |
Indicative | når | nådde | nås | nåddes |
Ind. plural1 | nå | nådde | nås | nåddes |
Subjunctive2 | nå | nådde | nås | nåddes |
Participles | ||||
Present participle | nående | |||
Past participle | nådd | |||
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs. |
Etymology 2
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Interjection
nå
- well? (encouragement to actually provide an answer or reaction to a question)
- well (used to acknowledge a statement or situation)
- Nå, vi kan alltid gå istället.
- Well, we could always walk instead.
Usage notes
(encouragement): Interjection used to express for the addressee that one is expecting and waiting for an answer or reaction from him or her.