Ja
/jɑː/noun
A word used to express affirmation or agreement.
Did you know?In German, 'Ja' not only means 'yes' but is also linked to old affirmations used in rituals to invoke positive outcomes.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ja
“to affirm or confirm.”
Old English
OE
gēa
“an expression of agreement or confirmation.”
Old Norse
ON
já
“to agree, yes.”
Middle English
ME
yea
“affirmation used in legal contexts.”
Modern English
English
yes
“a term of affirmation, derived from earlier forms.”
Modern German
German
Ja
“the direct affirmation in contemporary usage.”