Where does “ياما” come from?

ياما (Egyptian Arabic) comes from Egyptian Arabic يا, from Persian یا, from Arabic يَا — {{m|en|O|id=vocative}}.

ياما (Egyptian Arabic): how much!, how often!

Definitions

  1. how much!, how often!

Ancestry of “ياما”, step by step

ياما traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Egyptian Arabic يا

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Egyptian Arabicياvocative particle, rarely omitted
2PersianیاAPI •; or; either
3Arabicيَا{{m|en|O|id=vocative}}

via Egyptian Arabic ما

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Egyptian Arabicماwhat's the matter with, what's with (someone or something) }}
2Arabicمَاthat; not; what
Every word from Arabic يَا →Every word from Persian یا →Every word from Egyptian Arabic يا →