Where does “أنا” come from?

أنا (Moroccan Arabic) comes from Khowar اي, from Middle Persian ʾy, from Proto-Iranian Háywah, from Proto-Indo-Iranian Háywas, from Proto-Indo-European óynos — one; single.

أنا (Moroccan Arabic): I first person singular subject pronoun

Definitions

  1. I first person singular subject pronoun

Ancestry of “أنا”, step by step

أنا traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Khowar اي

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Khowarاي—
2Middle Persianʾy—
3Proto-IranianHáywahone
4Proto-Indo-IranianHáywasjust, only; one
5Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

via Arabic أَنَا

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1ArabicأَنَاI
2Proto-SemiticʔanākuI
3Proto-Afro-Asiaticˀanāku—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European óynos →Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian Háywas →Every word from Proto-Iranian Háywah →