Where does “zakaj” come from?

zakaj (Slovene) comes from Slovene káj, from Proto-Slavic jь, from Proto-Balto-Slavic iś, from Old Polish ić, from Proto-Slavic jьti, from Proto-Balto-Slavic eitei, from Proto-Indo-European h₁éyti, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ey- — to go.

zakaj (Slovene): why, for what reason

Definitions

  1. why, for what reason

Ancestry of “zakaj”, step by step

zakaj traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Slovene káj

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Slovenekájwhat (interrogative)
2Proto-Slavicjьthis; he
3Proto-Balto-Slaviciśthis
4Old Polishićto go
5Proto-Slavicjьtito go
6Proto-Balto-Slaviceiteito go
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁éytito go, to be going
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ey-to go

via Slovene za

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Slovenezabehind; after, following; for
2Proto-Slaviczabehind, after (stationary)
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁éyti →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic eitei →
zakaj — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer