bo

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bo"

Languages (61)

Translingual • English

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Afrikaans • Albanian • Binongan Itneg • Catalan • Cebuano • Cimbrian • Cornish • Cuiba • Czech • Danish • Dutch • Duvle • Esperanto • Fala • Fijian • Friulian • Galician • Guinea-Bissau Creole • Gunwinggu • Italian • Japanese • Kabuverdianu • Kalasha • Kokborok • Louisiana Creole • Lower Tanana • Mandarin • Mawes • Melpa • Middle Welsh • Mizo • Nabak • Northern Kurdish • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old Czech • Old Polish • Pacoh • Papiamentu • Peranakan Indonesian • Polish • Romagnol • Silesian • Slovene • Spanish • Sranan Tongo • Swedish • Tày • Tooro • Venetan • Vietnamese • Welsh • West Makian • Western Yugur • Xhosa • Yale • Zaghawa • Zhuang • Zulu

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of Tibetan བོད་སྐད་ (bod skad).

Symbol

bo

1. (international standards) ISO 639-1 language code for Tibetan.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Tibetan terms

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /bəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /boʊ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊ
• Homophones: beau, Bo, bow

Etymology 1

Imitative.

Alternative forms

• boh, boo

Interjection

bo

1. An exclamation used to startle or frighten.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 37, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

     We may fairely cry bo-bo-boe; it may well make us hoarse, but it will nothing advaunce it.

Derived terms

• bo-peep
• peep bo
• say bo to a goose

Etymology 2

Probably a shortening of boy.

Noun

bo (plural bos)

1. (US, slang) Fellow, chap, boy.
   • 1940, Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely, Penguin, published 2010, page 255:

     ‘Never heard of him,’ he smiled. ‘On your way, bo.’

Etymology 3

From Japanese 棒 (bō), from Middle Chinese 棒 (baewng^X, “staff, club”) (compare modern Chinese 棒 (bàng)).

Noun

bo (plural bos)

1. (martial arts) A quarterstaff, especially in an oriental context.

Etymology 4

From Hokkien 無 / 无 (bô).

Pronunciation

• (Singapore) IPA^(key): (interrogative) [boː˨˦]

Particle

bo

1. (Singlish, interrogative) Final interrogative particle, used to invite agreement.

   Synonym: (Singlish) hor?

   Swee bo? ― Good, right?

2. (Singlish, interrogative) Final interrogative particle, forming a yes-no question from a declarative statement.

   Synonym: (Singlish) or not

Related terms

Other terms derived from Hokkien 無 / 无 (bô, “right?”, final interrogative particle)

• tio bo

Other terms derived from Hokkien 無 / 无 (bô, “did not, do not, no”)

• bo bian
• bo chup
• bo jio
• bo liao

Etymology 5

Initialism of best of.

Phrase

bo

1. Initialism of best of: Often directly precedes an odd number.

   Alternative form: BO

   Best-of-three (bo3) Group Stage Match Information

See also

• bo lei
• bo tree
• sic bo
• zha bo

Anagrams

• OB, Ob, Ob., ob, ob-, ob.

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch boven.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bʊə/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adverb

bo

1. above

Preposition

bo

1. above

Albanian

Etymology 1

From *bᵃo < *baᵒ < ba, Gheg form of bërë.

Participle

bô

1. alternative spelling of bâ (“done”)

Etymology 2

Noun

bo f (definite boa)

1. alternative form of boa

References

• Mann (1948), page 33a: “boa, ja” → “bo, a”

Binongan Itneg

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: bo

Particle

bó

1. yes

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin bonus, from Old Latin duenos, later duonus, from Proto-Italic *dwenos. Numerous cognates include French bon and Portuguese bom.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈbɔ]

• Audio (Catalonia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ

Adjective

bo (feminine bona, masculine plural bons, feminine plural bones)

1. good

Usage notes

• The form bon is used as the masculine singular form when the adjective precedes the noun, and bo is used in all other cases.

Derived terms

• bon dia
• bon Nadal
• bon profit
• bon vent i barca nova
• bon vespre
• bon viatge
• bona nit
• Bona Pasqua
• bona sort
• bona tarda
• bones tardes
• bonesa
• boníssim
• tan bon punt
• tant de bo
• tenir la bona

Related terms

• bondat

See also

• bé, ben

Further reading

• “bo”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “bo”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Cebuano

Noun

bo

1. arm wrestling

Verb

bo

1. to arm-wrestle

Cimbrian

Etymology 1

From Middle High German wā, from Old High German wār, hwār, from Proto-West Germanic *hwār, from Proto-Germanic *hwar (“where”). Cognate with German wo, English where.

Adverb

bo

1. (Luserna, interrogative) where

   Bo lebetar? ― Where do you live?

Alternative forms

• ba (Sette Comuni)

References

• Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien

Etymology 2

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

Conjunction

bo

1. (Sette Comuni) the ... the

   Bo mèront hatzich, bo mèeront bilzich.

   The more we have, the more we want.

References

• “bo” in Martalar, Umberto Martello; Bellotto, Alfonso (1974), Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo

Cornish

Pronunciation

• (Revived Late Cornish) IPA^(key): /ˈboː/

Verb

bo

1. third-person singular present subjunctive of bos

Mutation

Mutation of bo

radical	soft	aspirate	hard	mixed
bo	vo	unchanged	po	fo, vo*

* after 'th
Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Cornish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Cuiba

Noun

bo

1. home, house

Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Old Czech bo, from Proto-Slavic *bo. Compare Polish bo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbo]

Conjunction

bo

1. (dialectal) as, since, because

   Synonym: neboť

Further reading

• “bo”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech)
• “bo”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /boː/, [b̥oːˀ]

Etymology 1

From Old Norse bú, from Old Norse búa (“to reside”).

Noun

bo n (singular definite boet, plural indefinite boer)

1. estate (the property of a deceased person)
2. den, nest
3. abode, home

Inflection

Declension of bo

neuter gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	bo	boet	boer	boerne
genitive	bos	boets	boers	boernes

Etymology 2

From Old Norse búa (“to reside”), from Proto-Germanic *būaną, cognate with Norwegian bo, bu, Swedish bo, German bauen, Dutch bouwen, Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌿𐌰𐌽 (bauan).

Verb

bo (present tense bor, past tense boede, past participle boet)

1. to live, reside, dwell

   Hun bor i London.

   She lives in London.

Conjugation

Conjugation of bo

active passive present bor — past boede — infinitive bo — imperative bo — participle present boende past boet (auxiliary verb have) gerund boen

Dutch

Etymology

Clipping of boterham.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /boː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oː

Noun

bo m (plural bo's, diminutive boke n)

1. (Belgium) sandwich

Duvle

Noun

bo

1. fire

Further reading

• Bill Palmer, editor (2018), The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area, Berlin: de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 531

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bo/

• Audio 1:

  (file)

• Audio 2:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -o
• Syllabification: bo
• Homophone: bo-

Noun

bo (accusative singular bo-on, plural bo-oj, accusative plural bo-ojn)

1. The name of the Latin script letter B/b.

See also

• (Latin-script letter names) litero; a, bo, co, ĉo, do, e, fo, go, ĝo, ho, ĥo, i, jo, ĵo, ko, lo, mo, no, o, po, ro, so, ŝo, to, u, ŭo, vo, zo

Further reading

• “bo”, in Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto [Complete Illustrated Dictionary of Esperanto], 2020, →ISBN
• “bo”, in Reta Vortaro [Online Dictionary] (in Esperanto), 1997-2026

Fala

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese bõo, from Latin bonus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbo/
• Rhymes: -o
• Syllabification: bo

Adjective

bo (feminine boa, masculine plural bos, feminine plural boas)

1. good

Usage notes

• In Lagarteiru, when preceding a feminine noun as part of a noun phrase, the masculine forms are used.

Derived terms

• Noitiboa (“Christmas Eve”)

Related terms

• bondai (“goodness”)

References

• Valeš, Miroslav (2021), Diccionariu de A Fala: lagarteiru, mañegu, valverdeñu (web)‎^[2], 2nd edition, Minde, Portugal: CIDLeS, published 2022, →ISBN, page 67

Fijian

Etymology

From Proto-Central Pacific *bao, from Proto-Oceanic *baʀo(q), *baʀa(q), from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *baʀəq, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *baʀəq, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *baʀəq, from Proto-Austronesian *baʀəq.

Noun

bo

1. (dermatology) boil, furuncle (accumulation of pus)

   Sa vakamatana na bo.

   The boil has come to a head.

Derived terms

• bo-dra (“ulcer”)
• bobota (“covered with blisters or pimples”)
• bodaka (“blister, callus, hardened skin from abrasion or work”)
• bodra ni davuibuco (“stomach ulcer”)
• bota (“blister”)

References

• Gatty, Ronald (2009), “bo”, in Fijian–English Dictionary‎^[3], Suva, Fiji: Ronald Gatty, →ISBN, pages 23–7

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin bōs, bōvem, probably through Vulgar Latin *boem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɔ/

Noun

bo m (plural bûs)

1. ox

   Synonym: nemâl

See also

• taur
• vacje

Galician

Alternative forms

• bon
• boo (dated)
• bom (reintegrationist)

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese bõo, from Latin bonus. Cognates include Portuguese bom and Spanish bueno.

Pronunciation

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

Adjective

bo (feminine boa, masculine plural bos, feminine plural boas)

1. good

   Antonyms: malo, mao

Derived terms

• aboar
• boanza
• Bonome
• Boo

Related terms

• ben

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “bo”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “bo”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “bo”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “bo”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology 1

From Portuguese vós. Cognate with Kabuverdianu bo.

Pronoun

bo

1. you (second person singular).
2. you (second person plural)

Etymology 2

From Portuguese bom. Cognate with Kabuverdianu bon.

Adjective

bo

1. good

Gunwinggu

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpo/

Noun

bo

1. water
2. liquid

Derived terms

• bonguneng

References

• Lynette Frances Oates, A Tentative Description of the Gunwinggu Language (1964)
• Steven and Narelle Etherington, Kunwinjku Kunwok: A Short Introduction to Kunwinjku Language and Society (third edition, 1998)

Italian

Interjection

bo

1. alternative spelling of boh

Anagrams

• Ob.

Japanese

Romanization

bo

1. The hiragana syllable ぼ (bo) or the katakana syllable ボ (bo) in Hepburn romanization.

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

From Portuguese vós.

Pronoun

bo

1. you (second person singular).

Kalasha

Etymology

From Sanskrit बहु (bahu), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰn̥ǵʰús. Cognate with Khowar بو (bo), Hindi बहुत (bahut).

Adverb

bo

1. very

Adjective

bo

1. many, a lot

Kokborok

Alternative forms

• bw
• bwng

Etymology

Cognate with Garo bia.

Pronoun

bo

1. he, she (third-person nominative singular)

   bo tamo khlai tong?

   What is he/she doing?

References

• Binoy Debbarma, Concise Kokborok-English-Bengali Dictionary (2001)

Louisiana Creole

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bo/
• Rhymes: -o

Etymology 1

Inherited from French beau (“handsome, fine, attractive; boyfriend”).

Adjective

bo m (feminine bèl)

1. handsome, beautiful, pretty

   Synonyms: joli, vayan

   Antonyms: lèd, vilin

Noun

bo

1. (a) boyfriend

   Synonyms: boyfrìnn, lamour

   Coordinate terms: amoureu, amoureuz, bèl, blond, fyanse, gèlfrènn, kalènn, malin, négrès

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Compare Saint Dominican Creole French bobo, Haitian Creole bo.

Verb

bo

1. (transitive or intransitive) to kiss

   Synonyms: béké, embrasé

Noun

bo

1. (a) kiss

   Synonyms: bèk, nembrasad

References

• Alcée Fortier, Louisiana Folktales

Lower Tanana

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *waʼ ~ *baˑʷ ~ beˑ, and therefore cognate with Ahtna baa, Navajo -BAʼ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɔ/

Root

bo

1. to be off-white, gray

Derived terms

• dalbi (“gosling”)
• deba (“Dall sheep”)
• denbo' (“silverberry”)
• eɬts'eyh boya' (“whirlwind”)
• juzra boya (“northern shrike”)
• k'otth'eba (“willow ptarmigan”)
• lebo (“it is gray”)
• leboyi (“flint, steambath rocks”)
• taɬiboya (“beluga whale”)
• tobo (“swan”)
• tsabaya (“whitefish”)
• tth'edlbat (“Arctic loon”)
• xudeba' (“it is becoming light”)
• xwbo (“twilight”)
• xwlbo (“there is morning/evening light”)
• yethbo (“snowy owl”)

Stem set

Aspect	Imperfective	Perfective	Future	Optative
Neuter	bo	bo'	boɬ	boɬ
Transitional	—	ba', bo'	—	—
Durative	bo	bo'	—	—
Customary	bayh	bayh	bayh	bayh

References

• Kari, James et al. (2024), Kari, James, editor, Lower Tanana Dene Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, pages 78-79

Mandarin

Romanization

bo (bo⁵ / bo⁰, Zhuyin ˙ㄅㄛ)

1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 卜
2. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 啵
3. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 噃
4. Hanyu Pinyin reading of 蔔 / 卜

bo

1. nonstandard spelling of bō
2. nonstandard spelling of bó
3. nonstandard spelling of bǒ
4. nonstandard spelling of bò

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Mawes

Noun

bo

1. water

Further reading

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1975), Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, →DOI
• Mawes Swadesh List

Melpa

Noun

bo

1. seed, seedling

References

• Stewart, Pamela J., Andrew Strathern and Jürgen Trantow (2011), Melpa-German-English Dictionary, Pittsburgh, →ISBN, page 62

Middle Welsh

Alternative forms

• boet, byðo, bytho

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbo/

Verb

bo

1. third-person singular present subjunctive of bot

Mutation

Mutated forms of bo

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
bo	uo / vo	mo	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Middle Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Mizo

Verb

bo

1. to stray, get lost

Derived terms

• boral

Adverb

bo

1. away

Further reading

• Lorrain, J. Herbert (1940), “bo”, in Dictionary of the Lushai language, Calcutta: Asiatic Society

Nabak

Noun

bo

1. pig

References

• Corinna Handschuh, A typology of marked-S languages

Northern Kurdish

Etymology

Uncertain, akin to Central Kurdish بۆ (bo), Talysh bo (“for”). The form ji bona is ji boneya (lit. "from the cause of, because"), compare Central Kurdish لە بۆنە (le bone, “because”), Southern Kurdish وە بوونەی (we bûney, “for”). One theory is relation with the Middle Iranic preposition *û (Related to Parthian [Term?] (/⁠ō⁠/, “to; for”), Middle Persian [Term?] (/⁠ō⁠/, “to; for”)) with bi (“with”) in front of it; compare also dialectal Central Kurdish لۆ (lo, “for”), synonymous with بۆ (bo) (with li (“on; in”) instead). Alternatively, an abbreviation of ji boneya and similar forms, the likes of which exists in Kurdish languages (compare seba from sebeb, semeda from sedem, بە هۆی (be hoy, “with the reason of”) etc.). This would mean that it has largely replaced jê ra and ئەڕا (erra). The main noun bone (“cause; pretext”) maybe related to bihane (“excuse”), Central Kurdish بیانوو (byanû), Persian بهانه. A derivation from بەرەو (berew)/berev ("towards") has been proposed by some, but that comes with phonetic problems.

Consider also Persian با, which explains the Talysh word (-a- sounds become -o- in Talysh). Therefore, the Talysh word may not be a cognate at all.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -oː

Preposition

Central Kurdish	بۆ (bo)
Southern Kurdish	ئەڕا (erra)
Zazaki	seba

bo

1. for

Usage notes

Colloquially often used along with ji and an izafe marker (î or ê with bo, a with bone). Not used with anything alonside it (like ji or ezafe) only in Southernmost dialects.

Derived terms

• ji bo
• bo çi

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle Low German behof (compare with behov).

Noun

bo (indeclinable) (idiomatic use only)

1. (uncountable, usually with ha) a need

   Jeg har bo for en hammer.

   I could use a hammer.

Usage notes

A noun not commonly used.

Synonyms

• behøve
• trenge
• ha bruk for

Related terms

• behov

Etymology 2

From Danish bo, from Old Norse bú (“settled area, town”) (compare alternative form bu). Akin to bod (“store room, booth”) and the verb bo (“to live”).

Alternative forms

• bu (Nynorsk also)

Noun

bo n (definite singular boet, indefinite plural bo, definite plural boa or boene)

1. one's home (mainly idiomatic)

   De giftet seg og satte bo.

   They married and settled down/built their home.

2. estate

   Å skifte et bo.

   To divide an estate.

Synonyms

• (one's home): bolig, hjem/heim
• (estate): eiendom, gods

Derived terms

See combined section below.

Etymology 3

From Danish bo, from Old Norse búa (“to prepare, finish, make preparations, equip”), cognate with Old English būan, Old Frisian buwa, Old Saxon būan and Old High German būan (whence German bauen).

Alternative forms

• bu (Nynorsk also)

Verb

bo (imperative bo, present tense bor, simple past bodde, past participle bodd, present participle boende)

1. to live (have permanent residence), stay

   Hvor bor du (hen)?

   Where do you live?

   Jeg vet hvor du bor.

   I know where you live.

   Hvor lenge blir du boende.

   How long will you be staying?

2. to be, to dwell, to be in

   Husk at all skjønnhet på jord bor i de evige ord: Jeg elsker deg.

   Remember that all beauty on Earth dwells in those eternal words: I love you.

   (Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson)

   Du aner ikke hva som virkelig bor i henne.

   You have no idea what she's really like.

   (literally: "you have no idea what really dwells in her")

Synonyms

• (to live, have residence): holde hus (holde til huse), holde til husere, kampere, leve, losjere, oppholde seg, residere, tilbringe
• (to dwell in, be in): finnes, rommes, skjule seg, være, være til stede

Derived terms

(Noun and verb)

• bebo
• bo sammen
• bo seg i hjel
• bobil
• boende
• bosette
• bosted
• bygge og bo
• dødsbo
• fastboende
• hva som bor i
• konkursbo
• landsbyboer
• sette bo
• sitte i ukskiftet bo
• skifte et bo
• ta et bo under behandling
• uskiftet bo

References

• “bo” in The Ordnett Dictionary
• “bo” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• search on "bo" on Ordtak.no - web site containing quotes and citations

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Middle Low German behof (compare behov).

Noun

bo (indeclinable) (idiomatic use only)

1. (uncountable, usually with ha, uncommon) a need

   Eg har bo for ein hammar.

   I could use a hammer.

Synonyms

• behøve
• trenge
• turve
• ha bruk for

Related terms

• behov

References

• “bo” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Czech

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *bo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (13^th CE) /ˈbo/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈbo/

Conjunction

bo

1. because

Descendants

• Czech: bo

References

• Jan Gebauer (1903–1916), “bo”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

Old Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰo*

Proto-Balto-Slavic *ba

Proto-Slavic *bo

Old Polish bo

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *bo. First attested in the first half of the 14th century.

Pronunciation

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

Conjunction

bo

1. (attested in Greater Poland) because
   • 1887, 1889 [1388], Józef Lekszycki, editor, Die ältesten großpolnischen Grodbücher, volume I, number 461, Poznań:

     Czso posual Jacub medzi mnø a medzi Bodzechnø, tho posual po prawe, bosmi tho sandzili

     [Czso pozwał Jakub miedzy mną a miedzy Bodzechną, to pozwał po prawie, bosmy to sądzili]

   • c. 1301-1350, Kazania świętokrzyskie‎^{scan transliteration, transcription}, Miechów, page br 10:

     Moui... pocazuiø, iz sø gresnicy ctuoracy; bo moui to slouo albo sedøcim, albo spøcim, albo lezøcim, albo uma[rłym]

     [Mowi... pokazuję, iż są grzesznicy cztwioracy; bo mowi to słowo albo siedzącym, albo śpiącym, albo leżącym, albo uma[rłym]]

   • 1858 [c. 1408], Wojciech Szurkowski z Ponieca, “Wyroki sądów miejskich czyli ortyle [Urban court rulings i.e. "Ortyls"]”, in Wacław Aleksander Maciejowski, editor, Historia prawodawstw słowiańskich [History of Slavic lawmaking], volume 6, Poniec, page 71:

     Panye woyczye, yusz bo czyą [y] pytham na prawye... yesthly to szlubyenye moczno

     [Panie wojcie, już bo cię [i] pytam na prawie... jestli to ślubienie mocno]

Descendants

• Polish: bo
• Silesian: bo

References

• Sławski, Franciszek (1958-1965), “bo”, in Jan Safarewicz, Andrzej Siudut, editors, Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego [Etymological dictionary of the Polish language] (in Polish), Kraków: Towarzystwo Miłośników Języka Polskiego
• Boryś, Wiesław (2005), “bo”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (in Polish), Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie, →ISBN
• Bańkowski, Andrzej (2000), “bo”, in Etymologiczny słownik języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish)
• B. Sieradzka-Baziur, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (2011–2015), “bo”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN

Pacoh

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Katuic *ɓɔɔ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bɔː]

Noun

bo 

1. rain

Papiamentu

Alternative forms

• abo (synonym)

Etymology

From Portuguese vós and Spanish vos and Kabuverdianu bo.

Pronoun

bo

1. you (second person singular)

Determiner

bo

1. your

Peranakan Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Hokkien 無／无 (bô, “not”).

Adverb

bo

1. not: negation particle

Derived terms

• bobice'
• boheloh
• bolamsam
• bolangtjai
• boliamsim
• boloatjee
• boloei
• bopoensoe
• boseedji
• bosiangkan
• bosiauw
• bosihpoen
• bosioeki
• bosoe
• botattji
• botauwlouw
• botjay
• botjhikhi
• botjing
• botjingli
• botjwah
• boyauwkin
• boyoh

• bo gawe koen
• bodji-bobak
• bohe boloh

Polish

Alternative forms

• bô (Lasovia, Tarnobrzeg)

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰo*

Proto-Balto-Slavic *ba

Proto-Slavic *bo

Old Polish bo

Polish bo

Inherited from Old Polish bo.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɔ/

• (Middle Polish) IPA^(key): /ˈbɔ/
• (Greater Poland):
  • (Kuyavia) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Northern Greater Poland) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Western Greater Poland) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Central Greater Poland) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Eastern Greater Poland) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
• (Masovia):
  • (Near Masovian) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
• (Lesser Poland):
  • (Kielce) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Western Kraków) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Western Lublin) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Eastern Lublin) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]

• Audio 1:

  (file)

• Audio 2:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ
• Syllabification: bo

Conjunction

bo

1. because, for (by or for the cause that)

   Synonyms: albowiem, boć, bowiem, dlatego że, gdyż, jako że, ponieważ

   Nie zadzwoniłem, bo spałem. ― I didn't call because I was sleeping.

   Bo nie. ― Because I said no.

   Bo tak. ― Because reasons.

2. or, or else, otherwise

   Synonyms: bo inaczej, inaczej, w przeciwnym razie, w przeciwnym wypadku

   Bo co? ― Or else what?

   Wstawaj już, bo spóźnisz się do szkoły! ― Get up now or you'll be late for school!

3. because (as is known, inferred, or determined from the fact that)

   On nie jest miły, bo nie chciał dać mi swoich ciasteczek. ― He isn't nice because he didn't want to give me his cookies.

4. (Kuyavia) synonym of albo (“or, either”)
5. (Łęczyca, Mileszki) synonym of niż (“than”)
6. (Middle Polish) Synonym: mianowicie (“namely”)
7. (Middle Polish) The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
   1. also; even
      • 1539, W. Wróbel, Żołtarz Dawidów‎^[4], page 82/9:

        Moab y Agarenowie Gebalitowie j Amon y Amalech/ y cżudzoziemci z mieſzkaiącimi w Tirze. [...] Boy Aſſur prziſzedł ſnimi j ſtał ſie na pomoc ſinom Lotowym. [Etenim Assur venit cum illis: facti sunt in adiutorium filiis Loth]

      • 1539, W. Wróbel, Żołtarz Dawidów‎^[5], page 88/6:

        [Confitebuntur coeli mirabilia tua domine: etenim veritatem tuam in ecclesia santorum] Będą wyznawać niebioſa czuda twoie miły panie bo y prawdę twoię będę wyſlawiać w zebraniu ſwiętych.

8. (Middle Polish) The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:

Particle

bo

1. emphasizes the statement, usually in phrases of opposite meanings, or introduces a rhetorical question, denying its literal meaning

   Synonyms: bo i, bo niby

   Ładna, bo ładna, ale głupia. ― Well, she might be pretty, but she is also stupid.

   Bo to prawda? ― Is this really true?

   Bo ja wiem? ― How am I supposed to know that?

   Nigdy o tym nie mówiłem, bo i po co? ― I never talked about it because why would I?

2. (with ale) may very well, but, even though, despite

   Stary, bo stary, ale mocny. ― He very well may be old, but he's still strong.

   Trudno bo trudno, ale robi się łatwiej. ― It may very well be hard, but it's getting easier.

Usage notes

Combined forms for this word are uncommon and often formed for stylization.

Declension

Combined forms of bo

	singular	plural
1st person	bom	bośmy
2nd person	boś	boście
3rd person	bo	bo

Derived terms

particle

• bo ja wiem

Trivia

According to Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej (1990), bo is one of the most used words in Polish, appearing 35 times in scientific texts, 5 times in news, 87 times in essays, 231 times in fiction, and 378 times in plays, each out of a corpus of 100,000 words, totaling 736 times, making it the 62nd most common word in a corpus of 500,000 words.

Further reading

• “bo”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[6] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “bo”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[7] (in Polish)
• Maria Renata Mayenowa; Stanisław Rospond; Witold Taszycki; Stefan Hrabec; Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023), “bo”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
• “BO”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century], 21 September 2016
• “BO”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century], 14 January 2008
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814), “bo”, in Słownik języka polskiego
• Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861), “bo”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
• J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1900), “bo”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 1, Warsaw, page 178
• Jan Karłowicz (1900), “bo”, in Słownik gwar polskich [Dictionary of Polish dialects] (in Polish), volume 1: A do E, Kraków: Akademia Umiejętności, page 93
• bo in Narodowy Fotokorpus Języka Polskiego

Romagnol

Etymology

From Latin bōs (“cow, bull”).

Pronunciation

• (Central Romagnol) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Ravenna) IPA^(key): [ˈbɔ]
  • (Ville Unite):

Noun

bo m (plural bu) (Ville Unite)

1. ox

References

• Ercolani, Libero (1971), Vocabolario Romagnolo-Italiano, Monte di Ravenna, page 51

Silesian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *bʰo*

Proto-Balto-Slavic *ba

Proto-Slavic *bo

Old Polish bo

Silesian bo

Inherited from Old Polish bo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɔ/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ
• Syllabification: bo

Conjunction

bo

1. because

Particle

bo

1. emphasizes the statement, usually in phrases of opposite meanings, or introduces a rhetorical question, denying its literal meaning

Further reading

• bo in dykcjonorz.eu
• bo in silling.org

Slovene

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bóː/

Verb

bọ̑

1. third-person singular future of bíti

Spanish

Alternative forms

• vo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbo/ [ˈbo]
• Rhymes: -o
• Syllabification: bo

Interjection

bo

1. (Uruguay, colloquial) hey, mate, dude

   Synonym: che

Sranan Tongo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bo/

Etymology 1

Contraction of ben and o.

Particle

bo

1. Marker for the irrealis mood.

Etymology 2

From English bow.

Noun

bo

1. bow, arch

Related terms

• alenbo (“rainbow”)

Swedish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [buː]

• Audio:

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Old Swedish bō, bōa, from Old Norse búa, from Proto-Germanic *būaną.

Verb

bo (present bor, preterite bodde, supine bott, imperative bo)

1. (intransitive) to live, to dwell, to reside (to have permanent residence)

   Jag vill bo i en stor stad.

   I want to live in a big city.

   • 1984, “Zwampen [Svampen] [The Mushroom]”, in Lasse Åberg (lyrics), Janne Schaffer (music), Livet i regnskogarna [Life in the Rainforests]‎^[8], performed by Electric Banana Band:

     Jag gillar inte höghus, sten och lättbetong. Jag trivs inte i stan, för den är grå och trång. Jag vill bo i en svamp, annars får jag kramp (svamp). Det finns hopp för min kropp i en mullig sopp (svamp). Kom ikväll, och var snäll, till min kantarell (svamp). Titta in, och ta ton, i min champinjon (svamp). Jag vill ut i skogen, i luft och rymd och ljus, och sitta framför svampen, och höra tallens sus. Jag vill bo ... [as before]. Tiderna är hårda, livet är en kamp. Det känns mycket bättre, om jag har min svamp. Jag vill bo ... [as before].

     I don't like high-rise, stone and lightweight concrete. I don't like it in the city, because it [the city] is gray and crowded [tight, cramped]. I want to live in a mushroom, otherwise I get cramps (mushroom). There is hope for my body in a chubby bolete (mushroom). Come tonight, and be nice [kind], to my chanterelle (mushroom). Stop by, and sing ["take tone" – start singing or speaking], in my champignon [common mushroom, like a button mushroom] (mushroom). I want to get out in the forest [want out in the forest], in air and space and light, and sit in front of the mushroom, and hear the sighing of the pine. I want to live ... [as before]. [The] times are hard, [the] life is a struggle. It feels much better, if I have my mushroom. I want to live ... [as before].

   • 1989, Eva Dahlgren, “Ängeln i rummet [The angel in the room]”‎^[9]:

     Det bor en ängel i mitt rum. Hon har sitt bo ovanför mitt huvud. Hon gör mej lugn. Och hon viskar till mej allt det jag säger dej.

     There is an angel living in my room [it lives an angel in my room]. She has her dwelling [usually of animals, especially nests] above my head. She puts me at ease [makes me calm]. And she whispers to me all the things that [all that (which)] I say to you.

Conjugation

Conjugation of bo (weak)

	active		passive
infinitive	bo		—
supine	bott		—
imperative	bo		—
imper. plural1	bon		—
	present	past	present	past
indicative	bor	bodde	—	—
ind. plural1	bo	bodde	—	—
subjunctive2	bo	bodde	—	—
present participle		boende
past participle		—

¹ Archaic. ² Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Related terms

• bebo
• -bo
• boende
• bofast
• bonde
• boning
• bostad
• sambo
• trångbodd

Etymology 2

From Old Swedish bō. Compare Danish bo, Icelandic bú, German Bau. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

bo n

1. a dwelling (of an animal), especially a bird's nest

   fågelbo

   bird’s nest

   att bygga bo

   to build a nest / to nest ("build nest" – idiomatic phrasing)

2. (poetic, extended from sense 1) a home

   sätta bo

   settle down

   • 1893, Elias Sehlstedt, Visa‎^[10]:

     Litet bo jag sätta vill / Gård med trädgårdstäppa till, […]

     [a] little home I want to set out / [a] farm with [a] garden plot to it […]

Usage notes

The use of "bo" as a shorthand for "bostad" and "boende" (housing) goes back at least to the 1920s, for example in the name of trade expos like "Bygge och Bo" (1925).

Declension

Declension of bo

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	bo	bos
	definite	boet, bot	boets, bots
plural	indefinite	bon	bons
	definite	bona	bonas

Related terms

• bodelning
• bokris
• bolag
• bomärke
• bomässa
• boskap
• bosätta
• dödsbo
• fågelbo
• råttbo
• svalbo

See also

• gryt
• kula
• näste
• råtthål

References

• “bo”, in Svenska Akademiens ordböcker [Dictionaries of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• bo in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)

Tày

Etymology

Compare Vietnamese mo.

Pronunciation

• (Thạch An – Tràng Định) IPA^(key): [ɓɔ˧˧]
• (Trùng Khánh) IPA^(key): [ɓɔ˦˥]

Noun

bo (Nôm form 𧄲)

1. spathe

   bo mảy ― spathe of bamboo shoots

   bo làng ― spathe of areca palms

References

• Lương Bèn (2011), Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary]‎^[11][12] (in Vietnamese), Thái Nguyên: Nhà Xuất bản Đại học Thái Nguyên

Tooro

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /βo/

Pronoun

bo

1. class 2 of -o: they

Derived terms

• -abo (“their (class 2)”)

See also

Tooro personal pronouns

class	person	independent	possessive	subject concord	object concord	combined forms
						na	ni
class 1	first	nyowe, nye	-ange	n-	-n-	nanyowe, nanye	ninyowe, ninye
	second	iwe	-awe	o-	-ku-	naiwe	niiwe
	third	uwe	-e	a-	-mu-	nawe	nuwe
class 2	first	itwe	-aitu	tu-	-tu-	naitwe	niitwe
	second	inywe	-anyu	mu-	-ba-	nainywe	niinywe
	third	bo	-abo	ba-	-ba-	nabo	nubo
class 3		gwo	-agwo	gu-	-gu-	nagwo	nugwo
class 4		yo	-ayo	e-	-gi-	nayo	niyo
class 5		lyo	-alyo	li-	-li-	nalyo	niryo
class 6		go	-ago	ga-	-ga-	nago	nugo
class 7		kyo	-akyo	ki-	-ki-	nakyo	nikyo
class 8		byo	-abyo	bi-	-bi-	nabyo	nibyo
class 9		yo	-ayo	e-	-gi-	nayo	niyo
class 10		zo	-azo	zi-	-zi-	nazo	nizo
class 11		rwo	-arwo	ru-	-ru-	narwo	nurwo
class 12		ko	-ako	ka-	-ka-	nako	nuko
class 13		two	-atwo	tu-	-tu-	natwo	nutwo
class 14		bwo	-abwo	bu-	-bu-	nabwo	nubwo
class 15		kwo	-akwo	ku-	-ku-	nakwo	nukwo
class 16		ho	-aho	ha-	-ha-	naho	nuho
class 17		(kwo)	N/A	ha- (...-yo)	-ha-	N/A	nukwo
class 18		(mwo)	-amwo	ha- (...-mu)	-ha-	N/A	numwo
reflexive		-enyini, -onyini	—		-e-	—

Venetan

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *boem, from Latin bos, bovem.

Noun

bo m (invariable)

1. ox

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [ʔɓɔ˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʔɓɔ˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʔɓɔ˧˧]

Etymology 1

Chemical element (edit)
B Atomic number 5 bo
Classification data Period 2 Group 13 Block p-block Class metalloid
Previous: ← beri (Be)
Next: cacbon (C) →

From French bore.

Noun

bo

1. boron

Etymology 2

Verb

bo

1. alternative form of boa (“to leave a tip”)

Welsh

Alternative forms

• byddo

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -oː

Verb

bo

1. (literary) third-person singular present subjunctive of bod

Derived terms

• cyn bo hir

Mutation

Mutated forms of bo

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
bo	fo	mo	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

West Makian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bo/

Noun

bo

1. penis

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[13], Pacific linguistics

Western Yugur

Cyrillic		бо

Etymology

Relate to Shor по, Khakas пу (pu) Tofa бо, Tuvan бо (bo), Karaim бу , Krymchak бу, Southern Altai бу (bu), Kyrgyz бул (bul), etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /po/, /pu/

Pronoun

bo

1. this

References

• Roos, Marti (2000), The Western Yugur (Yellow Uyghur) Language. Grammar, Texts, Vocabulary, Leiden: University of Leiden, page 340

Xhosa

Pronoun

-bo

1. Combining stem of bona.

Yale

Pronoun

bo

1. I (first-person singular personal pronoun)

Zaghawa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bo/

Noun

bo

1. bull
2. shepherd's crook
3. handle (of a tool, etc. - a stick to hold something with)

References

• Beria-English English-Beria Dictionary [provisional] ADESK, Iriba, Kobe Department, Chad

Zhuang

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 坡 (pha).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Zhuang) IPA^(key): /po˨˦/
• Tone numbers: bo¹
• Hyphenation: bo

Noun

bo (Sawndip forms 𡏋 or 圤 or 坡 or 𫭝, 1957–1982 spelling bo)

1. mountain slope; hillside; mountainside

Zulu

Pronoun

-bo

1. Combining stem of bona.