-li

with, containing; forms adjectives from nouns.
Antonym: -siz

‎süd (“milk”) + ‎-li → ‎südlü (“milky, containing milk”)
of, from; of a nation or place. The demonym formed this way functions equally as an adjective and as a noun.
‎Təbriz (“Tabriz”) + ‎-li → ‎Təbrizli (“[a person] from Tabriz”)

‎Çin (“China”) + ‎-li → ‎Çinli (“Chinese, [a person] from China”)
-al
‎yer (“locus”) + ‎-li → ‎yerli (“local”)

‎iki (“two”) + ‎-li → ‎ikili (“dual”)
makes surnames or nicknames from given names or toponyms
Synonyms: -zadə, -ov(a), -yev(a)

‎Məmməd + ‎-li → ‎Məmmədli

‎Xırdalan + ‎-li → ‎Xırdalanlı

Usage notes

Stress is carried onto the suffix when appended to a word with stress on the last syllable:
üzüm [yˈzym] becomes üzümlü [yzymˈly]
Stress doesn't shift when appended to a word that is stressed elsewhere:
İtaliya [iˈtɑl(i)jɑ] becomes italiyalı [iˈtɑl(i)jɑɫɯ]

Derived terms

Azerbaijani terms suffixed with -li

qeyri-ənənəvi orientasiyalı

Chickasaw

Suffix

-li (class I first-person singular subject marker)

I (subject of an active transitive or active intransitive verb)

Suffix

-li (transitive-forming verb suffix)

forms or indicates an active transitive verb

Choctaw

Etymology 1

Suffix

-li (verb-forming suffix)

forms or indicates an active transitive verb

Etymology 2

Suffix

-li (class I first-person singular)

the subject of an active transitive verb
I
the subject of an active intransitive verb
I

Inflection

Choctaw person markers
		class I	class II	class III	class N	imperative
+s	+C	+V	+C/i	+a/o	+C	+V	+C	+V	+C	+V
first-person	singular	initial	-li	sa-	si-	a̱-	am-	ak-	n/a
medial	-sa-	-sam-
paucal	ī-	il-	pi-	pi̱-	pim-	kī-	kil-
plural	hapi-	hapi̱-	hapim-
second-person	singular	is-	ish-	chi-	chi̱-	chim-	chik-	–
plural	has-	hash-	hachi-	hachi̱-	hachim-	hachik-	ho-	oh-
third-person	all	–	–	i̱-	im-	ik-	–

Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech li, from Proto-Slavic *li.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ lɪ]

Conjunction

-li

if
Utíkej odtud, je-li ti život milý. ― Run away from here if you like your life.
- 1878, Jan Neruda, Písně kosmické:
  bude-li každý z nás z křemene, je celý národ z kvádrů
  if each of us were made of quartz, the entire nation would be made of blocks
whether
Nevím, přijde-li. ― I don't know whether he comes.

Particle

-li

(dated or literary or dialectal) question-forming interrogative particle
Není-li pravda? ― Is it not true?

Derived terms

Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl

Etymology 1

Cognate to Classical Nahuatl -lin

Suffix

-li

a suffix that makes nouns.

Etymology 2

Suffix

-li

alternative spelling of -lli

Fala

Pronoun

-li

Clitic form of le (“to him, to her, to them”)

References

Valeš, Miroslav (2021), Diccionariu de A Fala: lagarteiru, mañegu, valverdeñu (web), 2nd edition, Minde, Portugal: CIDLeS, published 2022, →ISBN, page 187

Finnish

Etymology 1

-la +‎ -i (nominal suffix)^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-li/, [-li]

Suffix

-li

Forms diminutive nouns.

Usage notes

Preceding -a-, -ä-, -i- usually changes to -e- (compare -ella).

Alternative forms

-eli

Derived terms

Finnish terms suffixed with -li (nominal)

-listo

References

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

Etymology 2

Derived from -la with the same suffix as present in -lti and -sti;^[1] -la +‎ -i (i-lative singular)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-li(ˣ)/, [-li(ʔ)]

Suffix

-li

Forms some terminative adverbs.

Derived terms

Finnish terms suffixed with -li (adverbial)

mikäli

sikäli

References

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

German

Etymology

Cognate with Alemannic German -li.

Suffix

-li n

(Southern Germany, Switzerland) suffix used to create a diminutive form
Synonym: -lein

Derived terms

German terms suffixed with -li

Brötli

Gspänli

Häusli

Mütterli

Related terms

Greenlandic

Pronunciation

(Nuuk) IPA^(key): /-li/, [-lɪ]

Suffix

-li (v-v^?, additive^?)

(intransitive, with stative verbs) [verb] more
(transitive, with stative verbs) cause to [verb] more

Usage notes

Fusions with three verbs in the following manner:

angivoq (“be large”) → allivoq (“become larger”), allivaa (“make larger, enlarge”)

mikivoq (“be small”) → millivoq (“become smaller, shrink”), millivaa (“make smaller”)

takivoq (“be long”) → tallivoq (“become longer”), tallivaa (“make longer”)

Derived terms

Greenlandic terms suffixed with -li

Suffix

-li (enclitic)

but
- "Tasiilami efterskoleqalernissaa Jakob Sivertsen-ip sulissutigaa", Atuagagdliutit
  Kalaallit Nunaanni efterskole lior titer ni ssaq piumassuse qar fi gi neqarpoq, aningaasa ssa qar tin neqa nngillal li

Igbo

Alternative forms

-ri (Owerri, Umuahia)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!

Rhymes: -iː
Hyphenation: -li

Suffix

-li

used to form simple past tenses of verbs
Roger Federer melili Yoshihito Nishioka na US Open.
(please add an English translation of this usage example)

Italian

Pronoun

-li

(enclitic) alternative form of li
dare (“to give”) → darli (“to give them”)

vendere (“to sell”) → venderli (“to sell them”)

servire (“to serve”) → servirli (“to serve them”)

Usage notes

Appended to present active infinitive verb forms to accusative dative forms when the object is third plural masculine person. The final -e of the original infinitive is removed :

-are → -arli

-ere → -erli

-ire → -irli

Where the verb ends in -rre, the final re is removed, leaving behind just an -r:

introdurre (“to introduce”) → introdurli (“to introduce them”)

In any case, after the suffixation, there is only a single r and no vowels immediately before -li.

Anagrams

il, il-

Latin

Suffix

-lī

inflection of -lus:
1. nominative/vocative masculine plural
2. genitive masculine/neuter singular

Lower Sorbian

Alternative forms

-lic

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *li; cognate with Upper Sorbian -li, Polish -li, Czech -li.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /li/, [lʲi]

Particle

-li

used after a verb form to introduce a polar question
Spiš-li? ― Are you sleeping?

Sy-li Bóžy syn? ― Are you the Son of God?

Wiźiš-li to? ― Do you see that?

Conjunction

-li

if
Synonyms: joli, gaž, gaby

Coš-li, ga móžoš. ― If you want, then you may.

Jo-li tam, ga jo derje. ― If he’s there, then it’s all right.

Zmejoš-li pjeńeze, dosć změjoš pśijaśelow. ― If you have money, you’ll have plenty of friends.

Maš-li to na mysli, ga cyń. ― If you’re thinking of it, do it.

Maltese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Maltese lil

Arabic ـِي (-ī)

Maltese -i

Maltese -li

From lil + -i.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /lɪ/

Suffix

-li

to me

Middle English

Etymology 1

Suffix

-li

alternative form of -ly (“adjectival suffix”)

Etymology 2

Suffix

-li

alternative form of -ly (“adverbial suffix”)

Pennsylvania German

Etymology

From Middle High German -līn. Compare Yiddish ־ל (-l).

Suffix

-li

(diminutive) -ling, -let

Derived terms

Pitjantjatjara

Pronoun

-li (first person dual nominative, bound form of ngali)

we two

Usage notes

Bound pronouns can be used instead of the regular "long form" pronouns. They act as clitics that attach to the last word of the first noun phrase in the sentence, or the conjunctions ka or munu if present.

Related terms

Pitjantjatjara personal pronouns (nominative case)
	singular	dual	plural
first person	ngayulu (I) Bound form: -ṉa	ngali (we two) Bound form: -li	nganaṉa (we, more than two) Bound form: -la
second person	nyuntu (you) Bound form: -n	nyupali (you two)	nyura (you, more than two)
third person	paluṟu (he/she/it)	pula (they two)	tjana (they, more than two) Bound form: -ya

Polish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /li/
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -i
Syllabification: -li

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.

Proto-Balto-Slavic *lei

Proto-Slavic *li

Old Polish li

Polish li

Polish -li

From li.

Particle

-li (dated)

interrogative particle: introduces a yes-no question
Synonym: czy
emphatic particle
Synonyms: -że, -no, -ci, -to

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Suffix

-li

virile nominative plural of -ły

Turkish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Turkic *-lig

Ottoman Turkish ـلو (-lı, -li, -lu, -lü)

Ottoman Turkish ـلی (-lı, -li, -lu, -lü)

Turkish -li

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish ـلی (-lı, -li, -lu, -lü), from ـلو (-lı, -li, -lu, -lü), from Proto-Turkic *-lig.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /li/, /ˈli/

Suffix

preceding vowel
a / ı	e / i	o / u	ö / ü
-lı	-li	-lu	-lü

-li

with, containing; forms adjectives from nouns. This usage is treated as a "case suffix" and is separated from proper nouns by an apostrophe.
Antonym: -siz

‎kafein (“caffeine”) + ‎-li → ‎kafeinli (“caffeinated, containing caffeine”)
of, from; of a nation or place. This usage is treated as a "word-forming suffix" and is not separated from proper nouns by an apostrophe. The demonym formed this way functions equally as an adjective and as a noun. It is commonly encountered in surnames derived from the names of towns and cities.
‎İstanbul (“Istanbul”) + ‎-li → ‎İstanbullu (“[a person] from Istanbul”)

‎Tokat (“a city in northern Anatolia”) + ‎-li → ‎Tokatlı (“[a person] from Tokat”)
Added to sports organizations to form names for their fans.
‎Ardahanspor (“a soccer team”) + ‎-li → ‎Ardahansporlu (“a person who supports this team”)

Usage notes

Stress is carried onto the suffix when appended to a word with stress on the last syllable:
üzüm /yˈzym/ becomes üzümlü /y.zymˈly/; Kars /ˈkaɾs/ becomes Karslı /kaɾsˈɫɯ/
Stress doesn't shift when appended to a word that is stressed elsewhere:
çikolata /t͡ʃi.koˈɫa.ta/ becomes çikolatalı /t͡ʃi.koˈɫa.ta.ɫɯ/; Bursa /ˈbuɾ.sa/ becomes Bursalı /ˈbuɾ.sa.ɫɯ/

Derived terms

Turkish terms suffixed with -li

Afyonkarahisarlılaştıramadıklarımızdan mısınız

Descendants

Ladino: -li
Greek: -λής (-lís)

Uzbek

Etymology

Inherited from Chagatai ـلیغ (-lığ), ـلیک (-lig), ـلوغ (-luğ), ـلوک (-lüg), from Proto-Turkic *-lig.

Suffix

-li

used to form descriptive adjectives from nouns

Derived terms

Wutunhua

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [li]

Etymology 1

From Mandarin 裡／里 (“inside”).

Suffix

-li

Marks the locative case:
1. in, at (location of an action)
  ggaiggan lhokang-li huaiqa kan-di-li.
  The teacher is reading a book in the classroom.
  (Quoted in Sandman, p. 52)
2. to (direction of an action; optional for place names)
  ngu rongbo-li qhi-zhe.
  I am going to Longwu.
  (Quoted in Sandman, p. 52)

Etymology 2

Janhunen et al. speculates that this is from Mandarin 來／来 (“to come”).

Suffix

-li

An evidential suffix, marking that the subject has personally experienced the event/situation but that they were not personally responsible for instigating the event/situation, or did not have full control over the experience.

References

Juha Janhunen, Marja Peltomaa, Erika Sandman, Xiawu Dongzhou (2008), Wutun (LINCOM's Descriptive Grammar Series), volume 466, LINCOM Europa, →ISBN
Erika Sandman (2016), A Grammar of Wutun‎^[2], University of Helsinki (PhD), →ISBN

Yao (Africa)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-dɪ̀ (“to be - irregular verb”)

Verb

-li

to be in a place
to be in a state

Derived terms

juli (“Class 1 form of "-li"”)
jili (“Class 9 form of "-li"”)

References

Ciyawo - English Dictionary: Dikishonale ja Ŵakulijiganya

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

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

[1]

[1]

		nominative	dative	accusative	disjunctive
singular	first person	ei	me, -mi	mi
second person	tú	te, -ti	ti
third person	m	el	le, -li	u^LV, o^M	el
f	ela	a	ela
plural	first person	common	nos	mus^L nus^LV nos, -nus^M	nos
m	noshotrus^M	noshotrus^M
f	noshotras^M	noshotras^M
second person	common	vos	vus^LV vos, -vus^M	vos
m	voshotrus^M	voshotrus^M
f	voshotras^M	voshotras^M
third person	m	elis	le, -li	us^LV, os^M	elis
f	elas	as	elas
third person reflexive	—	se, -si	sí

Alemannic German

Etymology

Suffix

Derived terms

Azerbaijani

Etymology

Pronunciation

Suffix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Chickasaw

Suffix

Suffix

Choctaw

Etymology 1

Suffix

Etymology 2

Suffix

Inflection

Czech

Etymology

Pronunciation

Conjunction

Particle

Derived terms

Further reading

Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl

Etymology 1

Suffix

Etymology 2

Suffix

Fala

Pronoun

See also

References

Finnish

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Suffix

Usage notes

Alternative forms

Derived terms

References

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Suffix

Derived terms

References

German

Etymology

Suffix

Derived terms

Related terms

Greenlandic

Pronunciation

Suffix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Suffix

Further reading

Igbo

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Suffix

Italian

Pronoun

Usage notes

Anagrams

Latin

Suffix

Lower Sorbian

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Particle

Conjunction

Further reading

Maltese

Etymology