-ko

See also: Appendix:Variations of "ko"

Languages (21)

Alabama • Basque • Czech • Finnish • Garo • Hadza • Ilocano • Ingrian • Japanese • Lower Sorbian • Lower Tanana • Makasar • Murui Huitoto • Navajo • Nupe • Old Polish • Polish • Serbo-Croatian • Slovak • Swahili • Votic

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Page categories

Alabama

Etymology

By surface analysis, -ki (forms negative verb stems) +‎ -o (verb ending). Cognate with Koasati -ko.

Suffix

-ko

1. Creates a negative verb from a positive one.

   ‎kano (“to be good”) + ‎-ko → ‎kànko (“to be no good, to be bad”)

Derived terms

Alabama terms suffixed with -ko

kànko

Basque

Alternative forms

• -eko (after consonants)
• -go (see usage notes)

Etymology

Unknown.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ko/ [ko]
• Rhymes: -o
• Hyphenation: -ko

Suffix

-ko

1. Locative singular suffix.

   ‎etxe (“house”) + ‎-ko → ‎etxeko (“of the house, related to the house”)

2. Noun-forming suffix with various functions.
   1. related to, near

      ‎gerri (“waist”) + ‎-ko → ‎gerriko (“belt”)

      ‎belarri (“ear”) + ‎-ko → ‎belarritako (“earring”)

   2. Forms words expressing a hit or strike
3. Forms future participles.

   ‎egin (“to do”) + ‎-ko → ‎egingo (“will do”)

Usage notes

• The case formed by this suffix is also called "local genitive" or "locative genitive". It roughly corresponds to the usage of the prepositions of in English and de in Spanish. The genitive case (formed by the suffix -ren) also corresponds generally to these prepositions; but is mostly used to imply ownership, while the locative implies location or relatedness. However, there are exceptions to this general rule, see the usage examples below.

  Bizkaiko mendiak ― the mountains of Biscay

  buruko mina ― headache (literally, “pain in the head”)

  eskolako jaialdia ― school festival

  Picassoren margolan bat ― a painting by Picasso

  Ilargiaren orbita ― the orbit of the Moon

  mutilaren argazkia ― the picture of (owned by) the boy; the picture of (showing) the boy

• Common nouns ending in a consonant take the form -eko with an epenthetic vowel.

  ‎hondartz (“beach”) + ‎-ko → ‎hondartzeko (“of the beach”).

• Proper nouns and verbs ending /n/ or /l/ take the voiced form -go.

  ‎Madril (“Madrid”) + ‎-ko → ‎Madrilgo (“of Madrid”).

Declension

Basque inflectional suffixes

		indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive		-∅	-a	-ak	-ok
ergative		-(e)k	-ak	-ek
dative		-(r)i	-ari	-ei	-oi
genitive		-(r)en	-aren	-en	-on
comitative		-(r)ekin	-arekin	-ekin	-okin
causative		-(r)engatik	-arengatik	-engatik	-ongatik
benefactive		-(r)entzat	-arentzat	-entzat	-ontzat
instrumental		-(e)z	-az	-ez	-oz
inessive	anim	-(r)engan	-arengan	-engan	-ongan
	inan	-(e)tan	-an	-etan	-otan
locative	anim	―	―	―	―
	inan	-(e)tako	-(e)ko	-etako	-otako
allative	anim	-(r)engana	-arengana	-engana	-ongana
	inan	-(e)tara	-(e)ra	-etara	-otara
terminative	anim	-(r)enganaino	-arenganaino	-enganaino	-onganaino
	inan	-(e)taraino	-(e)raino	-etaraino	-otaraino
directive	anim	-(r)enganantz	-arenganantz	-enganantz	-onganantz
	inan	-(e)tarantz	-(e)rantz	-etarantz	-otarantz
destinative	anim	-(r)enganako	-arenganako	-enganako	-onganako
	inan	-(e)tarako	-(e)rako	-etarako	-otarako
ablative	anim	-(r)engandik	-arengandik	-engandik	-ongandik
	inan	-(e)tatik	-(e)tik	-etik	-otik
partitive		-(r)ik	―	―	―
prolative		-tzat	―	―	―

Derived terms

Basque terms suffixed with -ko

adimen urriko

ageriko

atariko

atzoko

biharko

burukomin

esaneko

ezko

funsgabeko

gerriko

hamabosteroko

hileroko

hiriko

igaroko

izeko

-lako

mutiko

nahiko

nazioarteko

noizko

nolako

oinezko

osoko

paseko

primerako

zer moduzko

zimiko

zortziko

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ ko]

Suffix

-ko n (noun-forming suffix)

1. forms diminutive nouns

   ‎ef + ‎-ko → ‎efko

   ‎oko + ‎-ko → ‎očko

   ‎zrno + ‎-ko → ‎zrnko

Derived terms

Czech terms suffixed with -ko

-átko

brčko

dítko

dlátko

efko

jadérko

jelítko

klepítko

kopýtko

krmítko

křivítko

lůžko

mýdélko

naslouchátko

očko

ouško

pazdírko

polénko

polínko

poutko

pozlátko

prkénko

raménko

rouško

tričko

videjko

znaménko

zrcadélko

zrnko

See also

• -átko
• -čko
• -íčko

Further reading

• -ko in Slovník afixů užívaných v češtině, 2017

Finnish

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *-ko, probably ultimately from Proto-Uralic *ko-.

Particle

-ko (front vowel harmony variant -kö, linguistic notation -kO) (enclitic particle)

1. (enclitic) Makes a clause interrogative (polar question, yes–no).

   Alternative form: -ks (colloquial)

   Onko hän täällä?

   Is s/he here?

   Täälläkö hän on?

   Is s/he here? [here specifically, as opposed to somewhere else]

   Tuleeko hän laivalla?

   Is she coming by the ship?

   Millä sitten - veneelläkö?

   By what, then - by boat?

   Näkeekö hän?

   Does s/he see?

   Pitäisikö hänen tulla tänne?

   Should s/he come here?

   En tiedä, tuleeko hän.

   I don't know if/whether she's coming.

   En tiedä, näkeekö hän.

   I don't know if/whether she sees.

   1. (enclitic, colloquial) Together with an interrogative.

      Olikko millon tulossa käymään?

      (So) when are you coming by here?

2. (enclitic) When followed by the clitic -han/-hän:
   1. Expresses wondering whether something is the case, generally corresponding to English I wonder if.

      Pukeutuikohan hän tarpeeksi lämpimästi tänä aamuna?

      I wonder if he put enough clothes on this morning.

      Meniköhän hän kouluun tänä aamuna?

      I wonder if he went to school this morning.

   2. With the negative verb, expresses an assumption or expectation that something will happen, corresponding to English I suppose.

      Emmeköhän me jotenkuten tule toimeen.

      I suppose we'll get by somehow.

Usage notes

• (interrogative particle):
  • The English translation depends; with direct questions, word order inversion (possibly with English do) and intonation changes are the most common. With indirect questions, if or whether generally apply.
  • The particle -ko/-kö is used without a corresponding interrogative word in both direct and indirect questions. The question is seen as a polar question - i.e., the answer is expected to be simply affirmative or negative.
    • Colloquially, the particle may be used emphatically with an interrogative word like milloin (“when”), which follows as the second word in the clause.
  • The particle is usually attached to the predicate (verb) in the sentence. However, for emphasis, it can also be attached to the word that is being questioned the most:

    Onko hän täällä? (neutral, non-emphatic) ― Is s/he here?

    Täälläkö hän on? (emphasizing the location) ― Is s/he here? (So here is where he/she is?)

  • The word with this particle moves to the beginning of the clause, with only some exceptions. In the following usage example, it can be for example argued that there are two separate clauses/utterances, even though they are used together:

    Millä sitten - veneelläkö? ― By what, then - by boat?

• (with -han/-hän):
  • Note that, unlike in English, the sentence meaning "I wonder if" is considered an interrogative sentence in Finnish, and so it ends with a question mark when properly written.
  • This does not apply when used with the negative verb.

See also

• -kin
• -kaan/-kään
• -han/-hän
• -kö
• -pa/-pä
• -s

Further reading

• Hakulinen, Lauri. 1941–2000. Suomen kielen rakenne ja kehitys ('The Structure and Development of the Finnish Language'). Helsinki: Otava/Helsingin yliopisto.

Garo

Etymology

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

Suffix

-ko

1. (inflectional suffix) forms the accusative case

See also

• -ni (“forms genitive”)
• -na (“forms dative”)
• -chi (“forms instrumental”)
• -no (“forms locative”)

Hadza

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ko/

Suffix

-ko

1. a feminine singular suffix (often used with a collective sense)

Related terms

• -hako

Ilocano

Alternative forms

• -k — before vowels and suffixes -en and -an

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ku, from Proto-Austronesian *ku.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ko/, /ku/

Pronoun

-ko

1. First-person singular ergative enclitic pronoun; I

   Inlukatko ti tawa ta napudot. ― I opened the window because it is hot.

   Aramidekto dayta no bigat. ― I'll do that tomorrow.

2. First-person singular possessive marker; my

   Daytoy ti pamiliak. ― This is my family.

   Annakko dagitoy. ― These are my children.

Usage notes

• When attached to verbs ending with the suffixes -en or -an, the n of the suffix is dropped and the enclitic (in the form -k) is attached.

  ‎lutuen (“to cook”) + ‎-k(o) → ‎lutuek (“I cook”)

  ‎dalusan (“to clean”) + ‎-k(o) → ‎dalusak (“I clean”)

• When attached to the enclitic -(e)n, the pronoun becomes -kon, even if the enclitic is in the form -k.

  Linutok ti ikan. ― I cooked the fish.

  Linutokon ti ikan. ― I already cooked the fish.

• When attached to the negative adverb di, the pronoun becomes -ak.

  Diak inggagara. ― I did not mean it.

• When attached to the verb in (“to go”), the n geminates, and the pronoun becomes -ak.

  Innak kitaen no addadan. ― I'll go check if they are already there.

See also

Ilocano personal pronouns

Person	Number	Absolutive		Ergative	Oblique	Possessive
		Disjunctive	Enclitic	Enclitic3		bági form	kukua form
First	singular	siak	-ak	-ko, -k	kaniak	bagik	kukuak, kuak
	dual	data, sita1	-ta		kaniata, kadata	bagita	kukuata
	plural inclusive	datayo, sitayo1	-tayo, -tay		kaniatayo, kadatayo	bagitayo	kukuatayo
	plural exclusive	dakami, sikami1	-kami, -kam	-mi	kaniami, kadakami	bagimi	kukuami
Second	singular	sika	-ka	-mo, -m	kaniam, kenka	bagim	kukuam
	plural	dakayo, sikayo1	-kayo, -kay	-yo	kaniayo, kadakayo	bagiyo	kukuayo
Third	singular	isu, isuna	Ø2	-na	kaniana, kenkuana	bagina	kukuana
	plural	isuda	-da		kaniada, kadakuada	bagida	kukuada

¹Regional variants.
²Null morpheme: there is no absolutive enclitic for the third person singular pronoun. The disjunctives isu or isuna may also be used.
³Ergative enclitics are also used as possessive markers.

Fused enclitics

Actor	Patient
	siak	data	datayo	dakami	sika	dakayo	isu5	isuda
siak	bagik4	—	—	—	-ka	-kayo	-ko, -k	-ko ida, -k ida
data	—	bagita4	—	—	—	—	-ta	-ta ida
datayo	—	—	bagitayo4	—	—	—	-tayo	-tayo ida
dakami	—	—	—	bagimi4	-daka	-dakayo	-mi	-mi ida
sika	-nak	—	—	-nakami	bagim4	—	-mo, -m	-mo ida, -m ida
dakayo	-dak	-data	—	-dakami	—	bagiyo4	-yo	-yo ida
isu	-nak	-nata	-natayo	-nakami	-naka	-nakayo	bagina4, -na	-na ida
isuda	-dak	-data	-datayo	-dakami	-daka	-dakayo	-da	bagida4, -da ida

⁴Reflexive pronouns use the bagí form.
⁵ isu or isuna may also be added after the enclitics in this column.

Ingrian

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /-ko/, [-ko̞]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /-ko/, [-ko̞]

Particle

-ko (front-vowel variant -kö)

1. alternative form of -k
   • 1936, D. I. Efimov, Lukukirja: Inkeroisia alkușkouluja vart (ensimäine osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 12:

     Töö-ko meille avita.

     Come help us.

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971), Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 178

Japanese

Romanization

-ko

1. Rōmaji transcription of こ

Lower Sorbian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *-ъko.

Suffix

-ko n

1. added to neuter nouns to form a diminutive

Derived terms

Lower Sorbian terms suffixed with -ko

łonko

piwko

pólko

słowko

zajtško

Lower Tanana

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʰɔ/, /qʰɔ/

Noun

-ko

1. (areal noun) the surface of

Related terms

• koxt'ana (“person”)
• -koget (“on the surface of”)
• koga'/koka' (“on”)
• -kw (“onto the surface of; surface (noun suffix)”)
• neɬkoyi (“wounded animal”)
• neɬkoyenh (“wounded person”)
• uko (“in quest of”)

References

• Kari, James et al. (2024), Kari, James, editor, Lower Tanana Dene Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 241

Makasar

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(i-)kahu, Proto-Austronesian *(i-)kaSu.

Pronoun

-ko (absolutive enclitic, Lontara spelling ᨀᨚ or 𑻠𑻶)

1. you (familiar second person singular and plural)

See also

Makasar free and bound pronouns

	independent	absolutive	nominative	possessive
1st sg / 1st pl exclusive	nakke	-a'	ku-	-ku
1st pl exclusive (archaic)	kambe	-kang	ki-	-mang
1st pl inclusive / 2nd sg polite	katte	-ki'	ki-	-ta
2nd sg / pl familiar	kau	-ko	nu-	-nu
3rd sg / pl	ia	-i	na-	-na

Murui Huitoto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [-kɔ]

Classifier

-ko

1. Classifier for objects that give cover.
2. Classifier for spherical objects.

Derived terms

Murui Huitoto terms suffixed with -ko

anafeko

ananeko

aneko

duiko

jiziko

nofɨko

uieko

References

• Katarzyna Izabela Wojtylak (2017), A grammar of Murui (Bue): a Witotoan language of Northwest Amazonia.‎^[1], Townsville: James Cook University press (PhD thesis), pages 195-196

Navajo

Stem

-ko

1. Verbal stem occurring in the following root, aspect, and mode combinations:

Aspect	Imperfective	Perfective	Future	Iterative	Optative
Momentaneous		-KO (agreeable)	-KO (agreeable)	-KO (agreeable)	-KO (agreeable)
Neuter	-KO (agreeable)

Nupe

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kó/

Suffix

-kó

1. augmentative suffix; used to form nouns meaning a larger form of something.

   Antonym: -gi

   ‎èsá (“stool”) + ‎-ko → ‎èsákó (“table”)

   ‎yàbà (“banana”) + ‎-ko → ‎yàbàkó (“plantain”)

   ‎ǹdá (“father”) + ‎-ko → ‎ǹdákó (“grandfather”)

   ‎bànban (“river bank”) + ‎-ko → ‎bànbankó (“cliff”)

   ‎tákùn (“rock”) + ‎-ko → ‎tákùnkó (“large rock”)

2. Used to form a nominalised and superlative form of verbs.

   ‎wáncí (“to be large”) + ‎-ko → ‎wáncíkó (“the largest”)

   ‎pàrà (“to be wide”) + ‎-ko → ‎pàràkó (“the widest”)

Derived terms

Nupe terms suffixed with -ko

enanko

esako

kpansannako

lemuko

nanko

ndako

nnako

yabako

yakako

Further reading

• Alhaji, Gabra Ibrahim A Morphological Analysis of Nouns and Adjectives In The Nupe Language, 2012

Old Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *-ъko.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /kɔ/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /kɔ/

Suffix

-ko n

1. diminutive suffix for neuter nouns; may cause various vowel shifts

Derived terms

Old Polish terms suffixed with -ko

dziecko

kółko

niemowiątko

łóżko

Descendants

• Polish: -ko
• Silesian: -ko

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Slavic *-ъko

Old Polish -ko

Polish -ko

Inherited from Old Polish -ko.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ
• Syllabification: -ko

Suffix

-ko n

1. diminutive suffix for neuter nouns. May cause various vowel shifts

   ‎słowo + ‎-ko → ‎słówko

Declension

Declension of -ko

	singular	plural
nominative	-ko	-ka
genitive	-ka	-k/-ek
dative	-ku	-kom
accusative	-ko	-ka
instrumental	-kiem	-kami
locative	-ku	-kach
vocative	-ko	-ka

Derived terms

Polish terms suffixed with -ko

Adaśko

anielątko

arcydziełko

auteczko

autko

bagienko

bagniątko

bajorko

Banaśkiewicz

bardko

bawidełko

bawolątko

białko

bioderko

biureczko

biurko

błocko

błotko

bocianiątko

bolerko

Bolko

bożątko

brzemiącko

brzemionko

brzusecko

bydełko

bydlątko

bzykanko

charciątko

chłopcątko

chłopiątko

chomątko

chucherko

ciałko

ciasteczko

ciastko

cielątko

ciemiączko

ciepełko

cierzenko

cygarko

człowieczątko

czółenko

czółko

denko

dłutko

dopiruśko

drewienko

drewko

Drezdenko

druzko

drzewiątko

drzewko

dwójko

dymanko

dzieciąteczko

dzieciątko

dzieciszczko

dziecko

dziewczątko

dzwiereczki

dźwierki

dźwiérka

-eczko

-eńko

futerko

gardełko

gardziołko

garniątko

gąsiątko

giezełko

gniazdko

gówienko

gronko

gumienko

hasełko

hrabiątko

jagniątko

jajeczko

Janko

jarzemko

jarzmecko

jąderko

jebadełko

jedzonko

jeleniątko

jeziorko

kaczątko

kadzidełko

kakałko

kangurzątko

kłamstewko

kobieciątko

kociątko

kolanko

koniątko

kopytko

korytko

Kościuszko

kowadełko

koźlątko

kółeczko

kółko

krzesełko

księstewko

kurczątko

kurzątko

latko

lisiątko

lustereczko

lusterko

lwiątko

łabędziątko

łoszątko

łóżeczko

łóżko

małpiątko

masełko

miasteczko

miastko

mieszkanko

Mieszko

mięsko

mleczko

Mleczko

mocko

motowitko

Murzyniątko

mydełko

naczynko

naręcko

nasionko

niebożątko

niedawienko

niedźwiedziątko

niemowlątko

niewiniątko

nosidełko

nárącko

oczko

okienko

opowiadanko

orlątko

ostrzytko

oślątko

państewko

parzydełko

pasemko

piekiełko

pięterko

pióreczko

piórko

pisadełko

pisemko

pisklątko

piweczko

piwerko

piwko

plecko

podwóreczko

podwórko

poidełko

pokładełko

polanko

połozónko

posłanko

poturajko

powiedzonko

pólko

prawko

prosiątko

przejrzadko

przemówionko

przeziéradko

przędzieńko

przyjątko

przykrywodko

psiątko

ptasiątko

pudełeczko

pudełko

puzdereczko

puzderko

pytanko

pytańko

radełko

radyjko

rajko

ramiączko

ramionecko

ramionko

ranko

ruchanko

rysiątko

Ryżko

rzeszotko

sadełko

sarniątko

serocko

siadanko

Serbo-Croatian

Suffix

-ko (Cyrillic spelling -ко)

1. Suffix appended to words to create a masculine noun, most likely to make diminutive. Usually used to make names, or nicknames denoting a negative feature.

   ‎dar + ‎-ko → ‎Darko

   ‎Jano + ‎-ko → ‎Janko

   ‎debeo + ‎-ko → ‎debeljko (“fatty (meant as an insult)”)

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔ/, [kɔ]

Suffix

-ko n

1. diminutive suffix for neuter nouns

Declension

Declension of -ko
(pattern mesto)

	singular	plural
nominative	-ko	-ká, -ka
genitive	-ka	-iek, -ok
dative	-ku	-kám, -kam
accusative	-ko	-ká, -ka
locative	-ku	-kách, -kach
instrumental	-kom	-kami

Derived terms

Slovak terms suffixed with -ko

Adamko

čauko

dedko

dlátko

ducko

jabĺčko

Jánoško

jazierko

kolienko

očko

slniečko

slnko

Turecko

vrecko

Swahili

Suffix

-ko

1. ku class_(XVII) relative marker, where

   Sijui wanakotoka. ― I do not know where they come from.

See also

Swahili verbal concords (third person)

class	subject concord		object concord	relative
	affirmative	negative
m(I)	a-, yu-	ha-, hayu-	-m-, -mw-, -mu-	-ye
wa(II)	wa-	hawa-	-wa-	-o
m(III)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
mi(IV)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
ji(V)	li-	hali-	-li-	-lo
ma(VI)	ya-	haya-	-ya-	-yo
ki(VII)	ki-	haki-	-ki-	-cho
vi(VIII)	vi-	havi-	-vi-	-vyo
n(IX)	i-	hai-	-i-	-yo
n(X)	zi-	hazi-	-zi-	-zo
u(XI)	u-	hau-	-u-	-o
ku(XV/XVII)	ku-	haku-	-ku-	-ko
pa(XVI)	pa-	hapa-	-pa-	-po
mu(XVIII)	m-, mw-, mu-	ham-, hamw-, hamu-	-mu-	-mo

For a full table including first and second person,
see Appendix:Swahili personal pronouns

Votic

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *-ko.

Pronunciation

• (Luutsa, Liivčülä) IPA^(key): /-ko/, [-ko]

Particle

-ko

1. Makes a clause interrogative; marks yes-no questions.

Usage notes

• Attaches to the first word in a sentence or (subordinate) clause (the latter applies to indirect questions). If the sentence or clause contains a verb (predicate), it shifts to become the first word, and -ko is then attached to it; as a consequence, the particle predominantly attaches to verbs.

References

• Hallap, V.; Adler, E.; Grünberg, S.; Leppik, M. (2012), “-ko”, in Vadja keele sõnaraamat [A dictionary of the Votic language]‎^[2], 2nd edition, Tallinn