Where does “na” come from?

na (Papiamentu) comes from Kabuverdianu na, from Portuguese nã, from Old Portuguese na, from Old Portuguese ena, from Old Portuguese a, from Latin Ad, from Latin illic, from Latin ille — that.

na (Papiamentu): at; in; inside

Definitions

  1. at; in; inside

Ancestry of “na”, step by step

na traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Kabuverdianu na

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Kabuverdianunaat; in; on
2PortugueseEye dialect spelling of não
3Old Portuguesena
4Old Portugueseena
5Old Portugueseato; towards; Alternative spelling of á
6LatinAdtoward, to
7Latinilliche, she, it, yonder, that, overthere; in that...
8Latinillethat; those; "; demonstrative pronoun "; that...
9LatinolleArchaic form of ille
10Proto-Italic*olnosthat

via Dutch naar

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchnaarto, towards in time, space, consequence, purpose...
2Germannarrfool a person being stupid or oblivious to facts
3Middle High Germannarre
4Old High Germannarroclown; fool
5Vulgar Latinnariomocking, deriding, jeering at
6LatinnarisA nostril, nose; An opening, orifice, vent,...
7Latinnasusnose; sense of smell; spout, nozzle
8Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂s-nose, nostril
Every word from Proto-Italic *olnosEvery word from Latin olleEvery word from Latin ille
na — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer