um

See also: Um, UM, .um, -um-, 'um, um-, -um, and Appendix:Variations of "um"

Translingual

Symbol

um

micrometer; variant of μm used when the character μ is unavailable

English

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic.

Alternative forms

umm, uhm, hum, erm

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʌm/, /əːm/
Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -ʌm (when stressed, or as a verb)

Used in rhotic dialects. Compare to British English erm.

Interjection

um

Expression of hesitation, uncertainty or space filler in conversation. See uh.
Um, I don’t know.
Let’s see... um... how about this?
- 2002, Newsweek (volume 140, page lxxx)
  It's a great test of the claims of open-source gurus, who say that a self-motivated community can outcode any team working for a single employer—like, um, Microsoft.
(chiefly US) Dated spelling of mmm.
- 1963, Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle, Dell Publishing Co., Inc., page 65:
  "About the same, wherever you go," he agreed.
  "Um," I said.

Verb

um (third-person singular simple present ums, present participle umming, simple past and past participle ummed)

(intransitive) To make the um sound to express uncertainty or hesitancy.
- 2007, Michael Erard, Um... Slips, Stumbles, and Verbal Blunders, and What They Mean, page 136:
  Meanwhile, in the popular mind umming was simply a bad habit, akin to spitting or picking one’s nose.

Etymology 2

From Middle English um, from Old Norse um, umb (“around, about”), from Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”). Cognate with Old English ymbe (“around”), West Frisian om (“around”), Dutch om (“around”), German um (“around”). More at umbe.

Preposition

um

Alternative form of umbe

Alternative forms

umb, umbe

Particle

um

(dated, sometimes humorous, often offensive) An undifferentiated determiner or article; a miscellaneous linking word, or filler with nonspecific meaning; representation of broken English stereotypically or comically attributed to Native Americans.
He um Growling Bear. He um heap big chief.
- 1871, “Grand camp meeting on Bear River”, in The Keepapitchinin‎, volume III, page 3:
  “me heap brave—me talk to um white man so […] me good injun, like um white man, mebbe so, ugh!”

Anagrams

-mu-, MU, Mu, mu

Czech

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈum]
Hyphenation: um
Rhymes: -um

Noun

um m inan

skill, art

Declension

Declension of um

	singular	plural
nominative	um	umy
genitive	umu	umů
dative	umu	umům
accusative	um	umy
vocative	ume	umy
locative	umu, umě	umech
instrumental	umem	umy

East Makian

Noun

um

house

References

C. L. Voorhoeve, The Makian Languages and Their Neighbours (1982)

Elfdalian

Etymology

From Old Norse um, from Proto-Germanic *umbi. Cognate with Swedish om.

Conjunction

um

if

Preposition

um

around
about (a subject)

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse umb, from Proto-Germanic *umbi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʊmː/

Preposition

um

(with accusative) around
(with accusative) about
(with accusative) during
(with accusative) through
(with accusative) over

Conjunction

um

whether, if

German

Alternative forms

umb, ümb, üm (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle High German umbe, ümbe, from Old High German umbi, from Proto-West Germanic *umbi.

Central German dialects show regular umlaut; the standard form is from Upper German, where umlaut of -u- was blocked before labial geminates and clusters. Cognate with Luxembourgish ëm, Dutch om, English umbe.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʊm/
audio (Germany) (file)
audio (Austria) (file)
Rhymes: -ʊm

Preposition

um (with accusative)

about
Es geht um den Kuchen. ― It's about the pie.
around
Um die Ecke ― around the corner
at, by (when relating to time)
Um acht Uhr reisen wir ab ― At eight o’clock we depart
by (percentage difference)
Die Verkaufsmengen gingen um 6% zurück. ― Sales in volume has decreased by 6%.
(Austria) for (amount of money)
Um einen Euro bekommt man heute nicht besonders viel. ― You can't buy much for one euro these days.
Heute im Sonderangebot um nur 99 Euro. ― Special offer today for only 99 euros.

Derived terms

(um + das) ums

Conjunction

um (introduces a zu-clause)

in order to, so as to
Wir sind gekommen, um zu helfen.
We’ve come (in order) to help.

Adjective

um (indeclinable, predicative only)

(predicative, not attributive) up, in the sense of finished
Werden dich in kurzem binden/ Erdgeist, deine Zeit ist um
We will shortly bind you/ Erdgeist, your time is up
(Friedrich von Hardenberg, Novalis)

Adverb

um

around, about
turned over, changed, from one state to another

Derived terms

um deinetwillen
um euretwillen
um ihretwillen
um Ihretwillen
um meinetwillen
um seinetwillen

Hunsrik

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /um/

Preposition

um (+ accusative)

around
Ich hon mich en Duch um de Kopp gebunn.
I've tied a towel around my head.
at, by (when relating to time)
Um acht Uher.
At eight o'clock.

Derived terms

(um + das) ums

Adverb

um

around, about
Das kost um zweu hunnerd Rëal.
This costs around two hundred reais.

Icelandic

Alternative forms

umb

Etymology

From Old Norse um, from Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around, about”).

Adverb

um

used in set phrases
Það er um að gera að sofa vel.
The important thing to do is to sleep well.
Hvað er um að vera?
What's going on?
Eins og um var talað.
As was agreed.

Derived terms

um að gera
vera um og ó

Preposition

um

(with accusative) about, concerning
Um hvað ertu að tala?
What are you talking about?
Spurning um líf og dauða.
A question of life and death.
(with accusative) through, around, across
Áin rennur um dalinn.
The river runs through the valley.
Að fara út um gluggann.
To go out through the window.
Vestur um haf.
West across the sea.
(with accusative) throughout, over, around
Við förum um alla sveitina.
We'll go throughout the district.
Hann var breiður um herðar.
He was broad across the shoulders.
Hún hafði klút um hálsinn.
She had a scarf around her neck.
(with accusative) during, for, in, at
Hvenær gerðist þetta? - Þetta gerðist um sumarið.
When did this happen? - It happened during the summer.
Ég fór um nóttina.
I went during the night.
(with accusative) approximately, about, around
Pokinn er um fjögur kíló.
The bag is around four kilos.

Usage notes

Often used with phrases such as "brjóta heilann um".
Ég er búinn að brjóta heilannum þetta alla nótt!
I've been racking my brain about this all night!

Derived terms

búa um rúmið
deila um keisarans skegg
eins og um var talað
ganga um gólf (“to walk up and down the floor, to pace the floor”)
hér um bil (“approximately”)
hver um sig (“each one of them, each in turn, each one on his/her own”)
hælast um af
klukkan ~ um morguninn (“at ~ in the morning”)
láta e-h um það (“to leave it to s-b”)
láta sem vind um eyru þjóta/láta eins og vind um eyru þjóta
líta um öxl
togast á um
um daginn (“the other day”)
um leið og (“as soon as, at the same time as”)
um leið (“straight away”)
um morguninn (“in the morning, in the course of the morning”)
um nóttina (“during the night”)
um of (“too much”)
um tíma/um stundarsakir (“for a while”)
um það bil
um það leyti (“at about that time”)
vefja um fingur sér
vera um megn
víða um land (“all over the country”)

Indo-Portuguese

Etymology

From Portuguese um (“a”), from Old Portuguese ũu, from Latin ūnus, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos.

Article

um

a (the indefinite article)
- 1883, Hugo Schuchardt, Kreolische Studien, volume 3:
  Um homm tinh doiz filh:
  A man had two sons:

Irish

Alternative forms

im

Etymology

From Old Irish imb, from Proto-Celtic *ambi, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi (“round about, around”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʊmˠ/

Preposition

um (plus dative, triggers lenition, except of b, m, and p)

about
at

Inflection

Inflection of um

Person	Normal	Emphatic
1st person sing.	umam	umamsa
2d person sing.	umat	umatsa
3d sing. masc.	uime	uimesean
3d sing. fem.	uimpi	uimpise
1st person pl.	umainn	umainne
2d person pl.	umaibh	umaibhse
3d person pl.	umpu	umpusan

Khasi

Etymology

Probably cognate to U ʔóm.

Noun

um

water

References

H. Roberts, A Grammar of the Khasi Language

Livonian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /um/

Verb

u'm

1st person singular present indicative form of vȱlda
3rd person singular present indicative form of vȱlda

Lote

Noun

um

stone

References

Greg Pearson, René van den Berg, Lote Grammar Sketch (2008)

Luxembourgish

Contraction

um

contraction of op + dem; on the, at the, to the
contraction of un + dem

Mòcheno

Etymology

From Middle High German umbe, ümbe, from Old High German umbi, from Proto-West Germanic *umbi, from Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around, about”). Cognate with German um, English umbe.

Noun

um (+ accusative)

about, around
(time) at
Um biavle ist s? ― What time is it? (literally, “How many is it at?”)

References

“um” in Cimbrian, Ladin, Mòcheno: Getting to know 3 peoples. 2015. Servizio minoranze linguistiche locali della Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento, Italy.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse um.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʊmː/, [ʊmː], [umː], [ʊ̟mː], [ʉmː]

Preposition

um

(pre-1938 or dialectal) alternative form of om

References

“um” in Ivar Aasen (1873) Norsk Ordbog med dansk Forklaring

Old Norse

Alternative forms

umb (older form)

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *umbi (“around, about”). Cognate with Old English ymbe, Old Frisian umbe, ombe, Old Saxon umbi, Old High German umbi.

Preposition

um

(with accusative) about, concerning
(with accusative) round, past, beyond
(with accusative) over, across, along
(with accusative) during, at a point in time
(with accusative) because of, for

Descendants

Icelandic: um
Faroese: um
Norwegian Nynorsk: um; (dialectal) om, øm
Old Swedish: um
- Swedish: om
Danish: om
- Norwegian Bokmål: om
  - → Norwegian Nynorsk: om

References

“um”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press

Pennsylvania German

Etymology

Compare German um, Dutch om, Old English ymb.

Preposition

um

around

Pnar

Etymology

From Proto-Khasian *ʔum (“tree”). Cognate with Khasi um.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʔum/

Noun

um

water

Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ũmъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *aum-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew-m-, from the root *h₂ew- (“to perceive, be aware of”). Akin to Lithuanian aumuõ.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /um/
Rhymes: -um
Syllabification: um

Noun

um m inan

(obsolete) mind, reason
Synonyms: rozsądek, rozum, umysł

Declension

Declension of um

	singular	plural
nominative	um	umy
genitive	umu	umów
dative	umowi	umom
accusative	um	umy
instrumental	umem	umami
locative	umie	umach
vocative	umie	umy

Derived terms

adjectives

umny
umowy

noun

umność

Related terms

adjectives

rozumny
umysłowy

nouns

umiejętność
umysłowość

verbs

rozumieć impf
umieć impf

Portuguese

**Portuguese numbers ^(edit)**
		10
	← 0	1	2 →	10 →
Cardinal: um Ordinal: primeiro Ordinal abbreviation: 1.º Multiplier: único, singular
Portuguese Wikipedia article on 1

Alternative forms

hum (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Portuguese ũu (“one; a”), from Latin ūnus (“one”), from Old Latin oinos, from Proto-Italic *oinos, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one”). Doublet of uno.

Pronunciation

Numeral

(Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈũ/

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈũ/

Article

(Brazil) IPA^(key): /ũ/

(Portugal) IPA^(key): /ũ/

Audio (Brazil) (file)
Rhymes: -ũ
Hyphenation: um

Numeral

um m (feminine uma)

one
Uma xícara de café ― One cup of coffee

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:um.

Descendants

Indo-Portuguese: um
Kabuverdianu: un

Article

um (feminine uma, masculine plural uns, feminine plural umas)

(indefinite) a, an
Um carro, uma casa. ― A car, a house.
- 2005, J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince] (Harry Potter; 6), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 186:
  Tenho um recado para você.
  I have a message for you.
- 2005, J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince] (Harry Potter; 6), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 361:
  […] disse o professor com um sorrisinho […]
  […] the teacher said with a little smile […]
1. (in the plural) some; a few (a small number of)
  Uns carros, umas casas. ― A few cars, a few houses.
  Synonym: alguns
2. (with uncountable nouns) a bit of
  Comi uma pipoca antes de dormir.
  I ate a bit of popcorn before going to sleep.
  Synonym: um pouco de
3. (usually in the feminine, pronounced slowly, emphatically and with a high intonation) indicates that what follows is exceptional; quite a; quite the
  Ontem de noite caiu uma chuva.
  We had quite a rain last night.
  Estamos comendo um churrasco.
  We are having the barbecue.
  Synonym: aquele

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:um.

Noun

um m (plural uns)

the figure or digit "1": one
O um parece o sete sem gravata no pescoço. ― The one looks like the seven with no tie at its neck.

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:um.

Pronoun

um m or f (plural uns)

a person; one; someone
Chegou-me um e disse: "Olá!" ― One came to me and said: "Hello!"
element(s) of a previously mentioned class: one; some (in plural)
Comprei uns e me decepcionei. ― I bought some and got disappointed.

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:um.

Romansch

Etymology

From Latin homō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰmṓ (“earthling”).

Noun

um m (plural umens)

man
Coordinate term: dunna
husband
Synonym: (Sutsilvan) cunsort
Coordinate term: dunna

Sawai

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /um/

Noun

um

house

Scots

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʌm/, /əm/

Pronoun

um

(South Scots, personal) him

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *umъ.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ûːm/

Noun

ȗm m (Cyrillic spelling у̑м)

mind
intellect
wit

Declension

Declension of um

	singular	plural
nominative	ȗm	úmovi
genitive	uma	umova
dative	umu	umovima
accusative	um	umove
vocative	ume	umovi
locative	umu	umovima
instrumental	umom	umovima

Slovak

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *umъ.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈum/

Noun

um m (genitive singular umu, nominative plural umy, genitive plural umov, declension pattern of dub)

mind
intellect
wit

Declension

Declension of um

	singular	plural
nominative	um	umy
genitive	umu	umov
dative	umu	umom
accusative	um	umy
locative	ume	umoch
instrumental	umom	umami

Synonyms

rozum m
hlava f
zmysel m

Derived terms

umček
umný
umový

References

um in Slovak dictionaries at slovnik.juls.savba.sk

um

Translingual

Symbol

English

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Interjection

Verb

Etymology 2

Preposition

Alternative forms

Particle

Anagrams

Czech

Pronunciation

Noun

Declension

See also

Further reading

East Makian

Noun

References

Elfdalian

Etymology

Conjunction

Preposition

Faroese

Etymology

Pronunciation

Preposition

Conjunction

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Preposition

Derived terms

Conjunction

Adjective

Adverb

Derived terms

Hunsrik

Pronunciation

Preposition

Derived terms

Adverb

Further reading

Icelandic

Alternative forms

Etymology

Adverb

Derived terms

Preposition

Usage notes

Derived terms

Indo-Portuguese

Etymology

Article

Irish

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Preposition

Inflection

Further reading

Khasi

Etymology

Noun

References

Livonian

Pronunciation

Verb

Lote

Noun

References

Luxembourgish

Contraction

Mòcheno

Etymology