یا

Inherited from Middle Persian [Book Pahlavi needed] (ʾywp /ayāb/), Manichaean script: 𐫀𐫏𐫀𐫁‎ (ʾyʾb /ayāb/). Cognate with Parthian 𐫀𐫃𐫀𐫖‎ (ʾgʾm /āgām/). Further etymology unclear; not found in Old Persian.

یا • (yâ)

1. or

   ‏امروز یا فردا می‌روید؟‎‎ (more literary)

   emruz yâ fardâ mi-ravid?

   ‏امرو یا فردا می‌رین؟‎‎ (more colloquial)

   emru yâ fardâ mi-rin?

   Are you going today or tomorrow?

   • c. 1390, Hafez, “Ghazal 12”, in دیوان حافظ [The Divān of Hafez]‎:

     ‏عزم دیدار تو دارد جانِ بر لب آمده
     باز گردد یا برآید؟ چیست فرمان شما؟‎‎

     azm-i dîdâr-i tu dârad jân-i bar lab âmada
     bâz gardad yâ bar-âyad? čî-st farmân-i šumâ?

     My soul, resolved to see you, has come to the edge;
     Shall it go back, or come forth? Which do you command?

     (romanization in Classical Persian)

2. either

   ‏یا امروز یا فردا‎

   yâ emruz yâ fardâ

   either today or tomorrow

• → Arabic:
  • Egyptian Arabic: يا‎ (ya)
  • Gulf Arabic: يا ... يا‎ (yā ... yā)
  • South Levantine Arabic: يا‎ (ya)
• → Bashkir: йә (yä)
• → Hindustani: yā

  Hindi: या

  Urdu: يا‎

  • → Phalura: yaá/یا‎

• → Kannada: ಯಾ (yā)
• → Ottoman Turkish: یا‎ (ya)
  • Turkish: ya
• → Turkmen: ýa

From Arabic يَا‎ (yā).

یا • (yâ)

1. (chiefly in religious set phrases) O

   Synonym: ای‎ (ey)

   ‏یا علی‎ ― yâ 'ali ― O Ali (common religious phrase among Shia Muslims)

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /jɑː/
• (Deccani) IPA^(key): /jɑː/

From Persian یا‎.

یا • (yā) (Hindi spelling या)

1. or

From Arabic يا‎.

یا • (yā)

1. oh!