French

Suffix

-ais

1. The first person and second-person singular imperfect indicative form of a verb.

   Je regardais la télé pendant que tu parlais au téléphone.

   I was watching the telly while you were talking on the phone.

Related terms

• -ait
• -ions
• -iez
• -aient

Etymology 2

From Old French -eis (feminine form -esche). In some senses from Late Latin, Vulgar Latin -iscus (from Frankish *-isc, *-isk, from Proto-Germanic *-iskaz ‎(“-ish”)), in others from Latin -ēnsis. Akin to -ois.

Suffix

-ais m ‎(feminine singular -aise, masculine plural -ais, feminine plural -aises)

1. Used to form adjectives that denote where something or someone is from, or to form the name of the language spoken in this place, e.g., français, anglais, marseillais, etc.
2. Used to form nouns that denote where something or someone is from, e.g. Français, Anglais, Marseillais, etc.

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• -aes (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• (Portugal, Carioca, Nordestino) IPA^(key): /ˈajʃ/
• (most of Brazil, Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈajs/

Etymology 1

Suffix

-ais m pl, f pl

1. plural of -al

Etymology 2

Suffix

-ais

1. forms the second-person plural present indicative of first-conjugation verbs

   falar ‎(“to speak”) + ‎-ais → ‎falais ‎(“you all speak”)

2. forms the second-person plural present subjunctive of second- and third-conjugation verbs

   correr ‎(“to run”) + ‎-ais → ‎corrais ‎(“[that] you all run”)

   emitir ‎(“to emit”) + ‎-ais → ‎emitais ‎(“[that] you all emit”)

3. forms the second-person plural negative imperative of second- and third-conjugation verbs