Where does “nåja” come from?

nåja (Swedish) comes from Swedish nå, from Old Swedish na, from Old Norse ná, from Proto-Germanic nēhwijaną, from Proto-Germanic nēhwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂nḗḱwos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂neḱ- — to reach, to attain.

nåja (Swedish): well.

Definitions

  1. well.

Ancestry of “nåja”, step by step

nåja traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishto reach, attain; well? "encouragement to...
2Old Swedishna
3Old Norseto get hold of, reach, overtake; to get, obtain;...
4Proto-Germanicnēhwijanąto approach, to come near
5Proto-Germanicnēhwaznear, close
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂nḗḱwos
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂neḱ-to reach, to attain

via Swedish ja

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishjayes; a yes, an aye; a positive answer or vote;...
2Old Norseyes
3Proto-Germanicjayes; thus, so
4Proto-Indo-Europeanalready
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂neḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂nḗḱwosEvery word from Proto-Germanic nēhwaz