-an

See also: Appendix:Variations of "an"

English

Alternative forms

-ian (euphonic variant)
-n (when added to a word ending in a)

Etymology

From Middle English -an, regularly -ain, -ein, -en, from Old French -ain, -ein, or before i, -en (modern French -ain, -en, feminine -aine, -enne), from Latin -ānus (feminine -āna), which forms adjectives of belonging or origin from a noun, being -nus [cognate with Ancient Greek -νος (-nos)] preceded by a vowel, from Proto-Indo-European *-nós. Cognate with English -en. Compare with -in, -ine.

Suffix

-an

Of or pertaining to; an adjectival suffix appended to various words, often nouns, to make an adjective form. (Often added to words of Latin origin, but also used with words of other origins. When a word ends in a, -n is used instead.)
‎Rome + ‎-an → ‎Roman
Synonyms: -al, -ar, -ese, -esque, -ic, -id, -ish, -like, -oid, -ous, -y
Appended to nouns to form an agent noun. (When males with a profession are distinguished from females, males are -an, females -(i)enne.)
‎comedy + ‎-an → ‎comedian
‎history + ‎-an → ‎historian

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -an

Translations

of or pertaining to

Arabic: ـِيّ‎ (ar) (-iyy)
Catalan: -à (ca)
Czech: -ský (cs)
Finnish: -lainen (fi), -läinen (fi)
Galician: -an m, -á f
German: -isch (de)
Hungarian: -i (hu), -s (hu)
Ido: -an-
Interlingua: -an
Italian: -ano (it) m, -ana f
Latin: -ānus m, -āna f, -ānum n
Portuguese: -ão (pt) m, -ano (pt) m, -ana f
Spanish: -ano (es) m, -ana f
Swedish: -sk (sv), -isk (sv),

agent noun suffix

Hungarian: -ász (hu), -ész (hu)
Interlingua: -ano m, -ana f

Anagrams

N.A., N/A, NA, n.a., n/a, na

Azerbaijani

Suffix

	preceding vowel
	A / I / O / U	E / Ə / İ / Ö / Ü
postconsonantal	-an	-ən
postvocalic	-yan	-yən

-an

Postconsonantal form of -ən after the vowels A / I / O / U.

Bikol Central

Suffix

-an

a place where a large quantity of the thing meant by the root is put, planted, or can be found
‎basura (“trash”) + ‎-an → ‎basurahan (“trash can”)
a place where the action expressed by the root is performed
‎kawat (“play”) + ‎-an → ‎kawatan (“playground”)

Chuukese

Suffix

-an

(added to possessive nouns) his, hers, its

Related terms

Chuukese possessive determiners

		Small objects, concepts	Large objects, living things	Suffix
Singular	First person	ai	nei	-ei
	Second person	omw, om	noum	-om
	Third person	an	noun	-an
Plural	First person	äm (exclusive) ach (inclusive)	nöu̇m (exclusive) nöüch (inclusive)	-em (exclusive) -ach (inclusive)
	Second person	ämi, ami	noumi	-emi
	Third person	ar	nour	-er

Cimbrian

Etymology

From Middle High German -en, a merger of various terminations in Old High German reflecting different conjugational patterns, namely -an, -ōn, -en (-ien), and -nen, from Proto-Germanic *-aną, *-ōną, *-janą, *-āną, and *-naną. Cognate with German -en.

Suffix

-an

A suffix of all verbs in their infinitive form.

Czech

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈan]

Suffix

-an m

Forms nouns, including inhabitant names.

Derived terms

Czech terms suffixed with -an

Esperanto

Suffix

-an

Obsolete form of -am.

Finnish

Etymology 1

From earlier -han, -hVn (now dialectal), from Proto-Finnic *-hen, *-sen (passive or reflexive suffix), the same as the third-person singular possessive suffix (see the possessive suffix entry on -Vn). Initial -ta- is from the passive marker *-tta-.

Suffix

-an

(personal) Forms the impersonal indicative present forms of verbs that include back vowels (a, o or u or i or e with a, o or u — compare -än), appended to the infinitive.
- No changes in verbs that end in one a.
‎juosta + ‎-an → ‎juostaan
- Verbs ending in -oa the beginning stem is followed by -ta- and then by this.
sanoa, stem sano- + -ta- + -an -> sanotaan
- Verbs ending in -aa or -ea the beginning stem is followed by -eta- and then by this.
laittaa, stem lait- + -eta- + -an -> laitetaan
paistaa, stem paist- + -eta- + -an -> paistetaan
laskea, stem lask- + -eta- + -an -> lasketaan

Etymology 2

See -Vn.

Suffix

-an

(case suffix) A suffix variant for the illative singular, see -Vn.
laiva boat (word includes back vowels, a — cf. -än) -> + -an = laivaan (on)to a/the boat; (in)to a/the boat

Etymology 3

From earlier *-hVn, from Proto-Uralic *-sin, the third-person dual possessive for singular nouns.

Suffix

-an

(possessive) A variant for the third-person suffix -nsa, see the usage notes below.

Usage notes

When the third-person suffix -nsa is appended to non-nominative noun forms that end in a single -a (those that are in singular and plural inessive, elative, adessive, ablative, essive and abessive and plural partitive and singular partitive ending with -ta), the S and A are very often omitted from the suffix and the last A of the case suffix preceding the remaining N is doubled — resulting in this -an. In standard Finnish, both the "full" form and the shortened form are acceptable (cf. -nsä). This same omission very often takes place also in the nominal verb forms used in shortened sentences (see the meanings of -nsa) and in the adverbs requiring this suffix:

Singular

(parti.) laitettansa -> laitettaan — koiraansa -> -"- (no changes)

(iness.) laitteessansa -> laitteessaan — koirassansa -> koirassaan

(elat.) laitteestansa -> laitteestaan — koirastansa -> koirastaan

(adess.) laitteellansa -> laitteellaan — koirallansa -> koirallaan

(ablat.) laitteeltansa -> laitteeltaan — koiraltansa -> koiraltaan

(ess.) laitteenansa -> laitteenaan — koiranansa -> koiranaan

(abess.) laitteettansa -> laitteettaan — koirattansa -> koirattaan

Plural

(partit.) laitteitansa -> laitteitaan — koiriansa -> koiriaan

(iness.) laitteissansa -> laitteissaan — koirissansa -> koirissaan

(elat.) laitteistansa -> laitteistaan — koiristansa -> koiristaan

(adess.) laitteillansa -> laitteillaan — koirillansa -> koirillaan

(ablat.) laitteiltansa -> laitteiltaan — koiriltansa -> koiriltaan

(ess.) laitteinansa -> laitteinaan — koirinansa -> koirinaan

(abess.) laitteittansa -> laitteittaan — koirittansa -> koirittaan

Anagrams

-na

Hungarian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ɒn]
Rhymes: -ɒn

Etymology 1

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

Suffix

-an

(deadjectival adverb suffix) Added to an adjective to create an adverb.
‎pontos (“accurate”) + ‎-an → ‎pontosan (“accurately”)
(denumeral and depronominal adverb suffix) Added to a numeral or a pronoun with this sense to create an adverb, expressing the number of people.
hat (“six”) → hatan (“six people, six of us/you/them”)
Hatan mentünk moziba. ― Six of us went to the cinema.
nyolc (“eight”) → nyolcan (“eight people, eight of us/you/them”)
Nyolcan vannak a szobában. ― There are eight people in the room.
hány (“how many”) → hányan (“how many (of us/you/them)”)
néhány (“some, a few”) → néhányan (“some (of us/you/them)”)
sok (“many”) → sokan (“many (of us/you/them)”)
Sokan vannak a meghívottak, de kevesen a választottak. ― For many are called, but few are chosen.
millió (“million”) → millióan (“a million (of us/you/them)”)

Usage notes

(deadjectival adverb-forming suffix) Harmonic variants:
-n is added to words ending in a vowel. Final -a changes to -á-. Final -e changes to -é-.
-an is added to most back-vowel words ending in a consonant
-on is added to some back-vowel words ending in a consonant
-en is added to front-vowel words ending in a consonant, as well as some front-vowel words ending in a vowel. Their original word-final vowel may be lost (e.g. könnyű) or supplemented with a consonant (e.g. bő, hű).
(denumeral and depronominal adverb-forming suffix) Harmonic variants:
-n is added to some (very few) words ending in a vowel. Final -a changes to -á-. Final -e changes to -é-.
-an is added to back-vowel words ending in a consonant
-en is added to front-vowel words ending in a consonant, as well as some front-vowel words ending in a vowel. Their original word-final vowel may be lost (e.g. kettő).

Derived terms

Hungarian adverbs suffixed with -an

Etymology 2

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

Suffix

-an

(verb-forming suffix) Added to a stem ― often an onomatopoeia ― to form a verb expressing an instantaneous action.
kattan (“to click, to make one clicking sound”)
robban (“to explode”)

Usage notes

Harmonic variants:
-on is added to some back-vowel words
-an is added to back-vowel words
-en is added to front-vowel words

Derived terms

Hungarian verbs suffixed with -an

Indonesian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [-an]

Etymology 1

From Malay -an, from Classical Malay -ان‎ (an), from Proto-Malayic *-an, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *-an, from Proto-Austronesian *-an.

Suffix

-an

Added to a noun
1. Suffix for collectivity
  ‎laut (“sea”) + ‎-an → ‎lautan (“ocean”)
2. Suffix for place
  ‎pangkal (“origin”) + ‎-an → ‎pangkalan (“base”)
3. Suffix for value
  ‎ribu (“thousand”) + ‎-an → ‎ribuan
4. Suffix for measurement result; -s
  ‎kilo (“kilo”) + ‎-an → ‎kiloan
5. (colloquial) -s; Suffix for quantity (about value)
  ‎ratus (“hundred”) + ‎-an → ‎ratusan (“hundreds”)
6. -ly, specifying time intervals, having the sense of "occurring at such intervals".
  ‎hari (“day”) + ‎-an → ‎harian (“daily”)
Added to an verb to create an noun
1. Suffix for object
  ‎makan (“to eat”) + ‎-an → ‎makanan (“food”)
2. Suffix for place
  ‎kubur (“to bury”) + ‎-an → ‎kuburan (“grave”)
3. Suffix for result
  ‎didik (“to educate”) + ‎-an → ‎didikan
4. Suffix for tool
  ‎timbang (“to weigh”) + ‎-an → ‎timbangan (“balance”)
5. Suffix for way or method
  ‎pimpin (“to lead”) + ‎-an → ‎pimpinan (“leader”)
Added to an adjective to create an noun
1. Suffix for having property
  ‎asin (“salty”) + ‎-an → ‎asinan (“pickle”)
2. (colloquial) Suffix for intensity (quality or quantity)
  ‎tinggi (“high”) + ‎-an → ‎tinggian (“higher”)
Suffix for similarity

Etymology 2

Semantic loan from Javanese -ꦲꦤ꧀ (-an).

Suffix

-an

verb-forming
1. (colloquial) to use of [base]
  ‎sepeda (“bicycle”) + ‎-an → ‎sepedaan (“to ride a bicycle”)
2. (colloquial) to hold or to have [base]
  ‎selamat (“safe”) + ‎-an → ‎selamatan (“to celebrate with offerings to the spirits to assure the safety”)
  ‎rujak (“a kind of salad”) + ‎-an → ‎rujakan (“to have rujak to be eaten or made”)
3. (colloquial) to do as indicated by the [base]
  ‎sendiri (“alone”) + ‎-an → ‎sendirian (“by oneself”)
noun-forming
1. (colloquial) the location of [base]
  ‎sekolah (“school”) + ‎-an → ‎sekolahan (“school complex”)
2. (colloquial) the cost of [base]
  ‎becak (“rickshaw”) + ‎-an → ‎becakan (“rickshaw fare”)
3. (colloquial) [base]-usage
  ‎sepeda (“bicycle”) + ‎-an → ‎sepedaan (“bicycle-riding”)
4. (colloquial) event of [base]
  ‎selamat (“safe”) + ‎-an → ‎selamatan (“celebration with offerings to the spirits to assure the safety”)
  ‎rujak (“a kind of salad”) + ‎-an → ‎rujakan (“rujak eating or production”)
  ‎susu (“milk”) + ‎-an → ‎susuan (“breast-feeding period”)

Etymology 3

Semantic loan from Javanese -ꦲꦼꦤ꧀ (-en).

Suffix

-an

(colloquial) suffering of [base]
‎koreng (“ulcer”) + ‎-an → ‎korengan (“serious infection disease”)
‎uban (“grey hair”) + ‎-an → ‎ubanan (“grey haired condition”)

Derived terms

ber- -an
ke- -an
peng- -an
per- -an

Indonesian terms suffixed with -an

References

Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa (2017) Tata Bahasa Baku Bahasa Indonesia [Standard Grammar of Indonesian Language]‎ (in Indonesian), 4 edition, Jakarta: Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, →ISBN
James N. Sneddon (2010) Indonesian : a comprehensive grammar, 2 edition, London: Roultedge, →ISBN, OCLC 564132877

Malay

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *-an, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *-an, from Proto-Austronesian *-an.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /an/
Rhymes: -an

Suffix

-an (Jawi spelling -ان)

Suffix for collectivity
Suffix for similarity
Suffix for object
Suffix for place
Suffix for instrument
‎bangun (“to wake up, to get up”) + ‎-an → ‎bangunan (“building”)

Manx

Etymology

From Old Irish -án, from Primitive Irish -ᚐᚌᚅᚔ (-agni).

Suffix

-an m

Alternative form of -ane

Derived terms

Manx terms suffixed with -an

Ojibwe

Final

-an

be in a state or condition

Derived terms

waaban
aawan

References

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/word-part/an-final

Suffix

-an

A suffix denoting the plural of an inanimate noun
A suffix denoting the obviative form of an animate noun
A suffix denoting the second-person singular imperative of a transitive inanimate verb (vti)

Usage notes

As the suffix denoting the second-person singular imperative form, -an also acts as the class marker for unmarked (-am theme) transitive inanimate verbs (vti).

Old English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɑn/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *-aną.

Suffix

-an

(verbal suffix) used to form the infinitive of most verbs (exceptions are verbs like flēon (“to flee”))
singan ― to sing
niman ― to take

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *-anē.

Alternative forms

-ane

Suffix

-an

Forms adverbs with ablative direction.
ēastan ― from the east
westan ― from the west

Old Norse

Etymology 1

Presumably from Proto-Germanic *-ōniz.

Suffix

-an

(deverbative suffix) Used to derive nouns from class 2 weak verbs.
‎friða (“to pacify”) + ‎-an → ‎friðan (“pacifying”)
‎sanna (“to assert, prove”) + ‎-an → ‎sannan (“assertion, confirmation”)
‎synja (“to deny”) + ‎-an → ‎synjan (“denial”)

Derived terms

Old Norse terms suffixed with -an

Old Norse terms suffixed with -un

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Norse -ᚨᚾᚨ (-ana), from Proto-Germanic *-anē.

Suffix

-an

Forms adverbs with ablative direction.

Derived terms

Old Norse terms suffixed with -an (ablative adverb)

Suffix

-an

strong accusative singular ending of adjectives

Old Portuguese

Etymology

Inherited from Latin -ant.

Suffix

-an (1st conj.)

a suffix indicating the third-person plural indicative present of a verb in -ar
‎amar (“to love”) + ‎-an → ‎aman (“[They] love”)
‎cantar (“to sing”) + ‎-an → ‎cantan (“[They] sing”)

Descendants

Galician: -an
Portuguese: -am

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *-aną.

Suffix

-an

(verbal suffix) used to form the infinitive of strong verbs (exceptions are a few verbs ending in -ian like biddian or liggian)
drinkan (“to drink”)
hwerƀan (“to travel”)

Phalura

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-an/

Suffix

-an

Third person plural suffix

Alternative forms

-íin (With e-ending verb stems)
-óon (With a-ending verb stems)
-en (Biori)
-éen (With e-ending verb stems in Biori)
-áan (With a-ending verb stems in Biori)

References

Liljegren, Henrik; Haider, Naseem (2011) 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^(key): /an/
Rhymes: -an
Syllabification: an

Suffix

-an m

(chemistry) -ate, used to form names of derivates of oxyacids whose name ends with -owy (-ic)
‎chlor (“chlorine”) + ‎-an → ‎chloran (“chlorate”)
forms people
‎młody + ‎-an → ‎młodzian

Declension

Inanimate declension:

Declension of -an

	singular	plural
nominative	-an	-any
genitive	-anu	-anów
dative	-anowi	-anom
accusative	-an	-any
instrumental	-anem	-anami
locative	-anie	-anach
vocative	-anie	-any

Animate declension:

Declension of -an

	singular	plural
nominative	-an	-ani
genitive	-ana	-anów
dative	-anowi	-anom
accusative	-ana	-anów
instrumental	-anem	-anami
locative	-anie	-anach
vocative	-anie	-ani

Derived terms

Polish terms suffixed with -an

Romanian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /an/

Etymology 1

From Latin -anus.

Suffix

-an m or n (feminine singular -ană, masculine plural -ani, feminine and neuter plural -ane)

Forms adjectives and nouns describing things and characteristics of a city, region, or country; -an
‎Australia (“Australia”) + ‎-an → ‎australian (“Australian”)
‎America (“America”) + ‎-an → ‎american (“American”)

Usage notes

For the countries that end in -ia, the plural form of the suffix is -ieni when masculine and -iene when feminine/neuter.

Etymology 2

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

Suffix

-an m or n (feminine singular -ană, masculine plural -ani, feminine and neuter plural -ane)

Added to nouns and adjectives as an augmentative suffix.
‎gras (“fat”) + ‎-an → ‎grăsan (“fatso”)
Forms names of male animals.
‎gâscă (“goose”) + ‎-an → ‎gâscan (“gander”)

Declension

Declension of -an

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	-an		-ană	-ani	-ane
nominative/ accusative	definite	-anul		-ana	-anii	-anele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	-an		-ane	-ani	-ane
genitive/ dative	definite	-anului		-anei	-anilor	-anelor

Derived terms

Romanian terms suffixed with -an

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology 1

From Old Irish -án, from Primitive Irish -ᚐᚌᚅᚔ (-agni).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /an/

Usage notes

The non-schwa clear vowel /a/ distinguishes this from the homograph plural suffix -an which is pronounced /ən/ i.e. with a schwa.

Suffix

-an m

A masculine suffix used to form nouns meaning a smaller form of something, often used for male given names.
Cailean, Eòghan, Ailean, Beathan
clàran, clachan, bioran

Etymology 2

Cognate to Irish -anna, Manx -yn.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ən/

Suffix

-an pl

Used to form regular plurals of nouns.
‎clach (“stone”) + ‎-an → ‎clachan
‎damh (“ox, stag”) + ‎-an → ‎damhan
‎leannan (“lover, sweetheart”) + ‎-an → ‎leannanan

Derived terms

Scottish Gaelic terms suffixed with -an

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

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

Suffix

-an (Cyrillic spelling -ан)

Suffix appended to words to create a masculine noun, usually denoting a (often negative) feature or endearment.

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *-ьnъ.

Suffix

-an (Cyrillic spelling -ан)

Suffix appended to words to create an adjective.
- ‎jad(iti) + ‎-an → ‎jadan (“miserable”)

Derived terms

Serbo-Croatian terms suffixed with -an

Spanish

Etymology 1

From Latin -ant, the third-person plural present active indicative ending of first conjugation verbs.

Suffix

-an

Suffix indicating the third-person plural (also used with ustedes) present indicative of -ar verbs.

Etymology 2

From Latin -eant, Latin -ant, and Latin -iant, the third-person plural present active subjunctive endings of second, third, and fourth conjugation verbs, respectively.

Suffix

-an

Suffix indicating the third-person plural (also used with ustedes) present subjunctive of -er and -ir verbs.
Suffix indicating the third-person plural imperative of -er and -ir verbs.

Swedish

Suffix

-an

making a noun from a verb, similar to -ing and -ning, having -ningar as the plural.
‎predika (“to preach”) + ‎-an → ‎predikan (“a sermon”)
-an; making a noun, describing a person by belief or nationality
‎Tibet + ‎-an → ‎tibetan
‎Luther + ‎-an → ‎lutheran
vegetarian

Derived terms

Swedish terms suffixed with -an (verbal noun)

Swedish terms suffixed with -an

Anagrams

-na, na

Tagalog

Alternative forms

-han
-nan

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʔan/, [ʔɐn]

Suffix

-an

object trigger: to do something to a person or a thing
Buksan mo ang pinto. ― (You) open the door (door is focused).)
object trigger: to cause something to become; to make
Binagalan ni Sue ang kotse. ― Sue slowed down the car. (The car is focused.)
directional trigger: to do something in the (physical or psychological) direction of
Tinitingnan ko ang manwal. ― I'm looking at the manual. (The manual is focused).)
benefactive trigger: to do something for
Titirhan ko si Roy ng keyk. ― I'll leave some cake for Roy. (Roy is focused).)
object trigger: (with root word reduplication) to do something occasionally, at random, a little, a bit, now and then or here and there
Winawalis-walisan; ko ang sahig. ― I'm sweeping the floor a bit. (The floor is focused).)
directional trigger: (with root word reduplication) to do something in the (physical or psychological) direction of, occasionally, at random, a little, a bit, now and then or here and there
Tinutulung-tulungan ni Jessy si Patty. ― Jessy helped Patty a bit. (Patty is focused).)
object trigger: to perform the action of the verb on something
Huwag mong sulatan ang dokumento. ― Don't write anything on the document.

Suffix

-an

Forms locative nouns expressing where a large quantity of the thing meant by the root is put, planted, or can be found
‎aklat (“book”) + ‎-an → ‎aklatan (“library”)
‎basura (“trash”) + ‎-an → ‎basurahan (“trash can”)
Forms locative nouns where the action expressed by the root is performed
‎kain (“eat”) + ‎-an → ‎kainan (“place where people eat e.g. restaurant, café,...”)
Forms nouns expressing period in which the action expressed by the root is collectively performed
‎ani (“harvest”) + ‎-an → ‎anihan (“harvest time”)
‎pasok (“entry, class, work”) + ‎-an → ‎pasukan (“school time, school year”)
Forms nouns indicating a tool or an object that is used to perform what is meant by the root
‎oras (“time”) + ‎-an → ‎orasan (“clock, watch”)
‎timbang (“weight”) + ‎-an → ‎timbangan (“weighing scale”)
Forms nouns signifying reciprocal or joint performance of the action expressed by the root
‎sayaw (“dance”) + ‎-an → ‎sayawan (“dancing together”)
‎kanta (“sing”) + ‎-an → ‎kantahan (“singing together”)
Used to create a diminutive, pretensive, or imitative form of something (used with reduplication of root word)
‎bahay (“house”) + ‎-an → ‎bahay-bahayan (“toy house”)
‎Diyos (“God”) + ‎-an → ‎diyos-diyosan (“false god”)
‎baril (“gun”) + ‎-an → ‎baril-barilan (“toy gun”)

Suffix

-an

(appended to numbers) Used to indicate groups.
‎tatlo (“three”) + ‎-an → ‎tatluhan (“in threes, three at a time”)
‎dalawampu (“twenty”) + ‎-an → ‎dalawampuan (“in groups of twenty, twenty at a time”)

Usage notes

Normally, /h/ is inserted before -an when a root word ending with a vowel is not followed by a glottal stop. In some cases, phoneme change can occur and /h/ becomes /n/.
‎ganti + ‎-an → ‎gantihan
‎talo + ‎-an → ‎talunan
Sometimes, the final vowel of the root word disappears when the suffix is added.
‎sunod + ‎-an → ‎sundan
‎takip + ‎-an → ‎takpan
Due to allophony, /d/ turns into /r/ when inserted before -an.
‎buklod + ‎-an → ‎bukluran
‎bakod + ‎-an → ‎bakuran
‎bayad + ‎-an → ‎bayaran

Derived terms

Tagalog terms suffixed with -an

Related terms

ka- -an

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish ـان‎ (-an), from Old Anatolian Turkish [Term?], from Proto-Turkic *-gan.

Suffix

-an

Creates non-past participles.
‎oturmak (“to sit”) + ‎-an → ‎oturan (“(someone) who sits”)
‎kırılmak (“to be broken”) + ‎-an → ‎kırılan (“(something) that gets broken”)

Volapük

Suffix

-an

Used to indicate someone who is or does something

Derived terms

Volapük terms suffixed with -an

Welsh

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /an/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *-agnos.

Suffix

-an

diminutive suffix, -let
‎bwyell (“axe”) + ‎-an → ‎bwyellan (“small axe, hatchet”)
‎gwraig (“woman, wife”) + ‎-an → ‎gwreigan (“little woman, little wife”)
‎barf (“beard”) + ‎-an → ‎barfan (“little beard, goatee, whiskers”)
person or object with characteristics of the root word
‎mud (“mute”) + ‎-an → ‎mudan (“mute person”)
‎llai (“grey”) + ‎-an → ‎lleian (“nun”)
‎crwm (“crooked, curved”) + ‎-an → ‎cryman (“sickle, pruning hook”)
used to form pet names
‎Gwen + ‎-an → ‎Gwennan
‎Dai + ‎-an → ‎Deian
‎Elisabeth + ‎-an → ‎Bethan

Alternative forms

-ian

Suffix

-an

verbnoun suffix

Suffix

-an

(colloquial) verb suffix for the third-person future plural

Derived terms

Welsh terms suffixed with -an

References

R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “-an”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

-an

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Suffix

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Azerbaijani

Suffix

Bikol Central

Suffix

Chuukese

Suffix

Related terms

Cimbrian

Etymology

Suffix

Czech

Pronunciation

Suffix

Derived terms

Further reading

Esperanto

Suffix

See also

Finnish

Etymology 1

Suffix

Etymology 2

Suffix

Etymology 3

Suffix

Usage notes

Anagrams

Hungarian

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Suffix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Suffix

Usage notes

Derived terms

See also

Further reading

Indonesian

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Suffix

Etymology 2

Suffix

Etymology 3

Suffix

Derived terms

References

Malay

Etymology

Pronunciation

Suffix

Manx

Etymology

Suffix

Derived terms

Ojibwe

Final

Derived terms

See also

References

Suffix

Usage notes

See also

Old English

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Suffix

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

Suffix