Where does “-ся” come from?

-ся (Ukrainian) comes from Old East Slavic сѧ, from Proto-Slavic sę, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sen, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.

-ся (Ukrainian): Reflexive suffix appended to finite verbs and infinitives to make a reflexive, reciprocal, intransitive or passive verb

Definitions

  1. Reflexive suffix appended to finite verbs and infinitives to make a reflexive, reciprocal, intransitive or passive verb

Ancestry of “-ся”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old East Slavicсѧ—
2Proto-Slavicsęoneself: myself, yourself, himself, herself,...
3Proto-Balto-Slavic*senoneself
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself

Words derived from “-ся”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic *sen →Every word from Proto-Slavic sę →