Learn Albanian Online

Word formation
Please read the lesson called "Grammar 101" before proceeding further.

Here is a list of common Albanian prefixes:

mos-: this prefix has the effect of changing a word's meaning to the opposite (creates an antonym).
Examples:
mosbesim, mistrust, from besim, trust;
mospëlqim, dislike, from pëlqim, liking;

pa-: this prefix has the effect of changing a word's meaning to the opposite (creates an antonym).
Examples:
i palarë, unwashed, from i larë, washed;
i pavlefshëm, invalid, from i vlefshëm, valid;
i pathemeltë, unfounded, from i themeltë;

sh-, zh-, ç-: these prefixes have the effect of changing a word's meaning to the opposite (they create antonyms).
Examples:
shpalos, unfold, from palos, fold;
zhdukem, disappear, from dukem, appear;
zhvishem, get undressed, from vishem, get dressed;
çarmatos, disarm, from armatos, arm;
çaktivizoj, deactivate, from aktivizoj, activate;

mbi-: this is similar to the English 'over-'.
Examples:
mbivlerësoj, overestimate;
mbingarkoj and mbingarkesë, overload (verb and noun);

nën-: this is similar, but not identical, to the English 'under-'.
Examples:
nënvlerësoj, underestimate;
nënvizoj, underline;

kundër-: this is similar to the English 'anti-'.
Examples:
kundërajror, anti-aircraft;
kundërgaz, (anti-) gas mask;

ndër-: this is similar to the English 'inter-' or 'trans-'.
Examples:
ndërkombëtar, international, from kombëtar, national;
ndërkontinental, transcontinental, from kontinental;
ndërmolekular, intermolecular, from molekular;

para-: many Albanian words are created by adding 'para' to another Albanian word. 'para' means 'in front of' or 'before'.
Examples:
parandiej, sense, have a hunch;
parashikoj, forecast;
parapaguaj, pay up front;
pararendës, preceding;

për-: many Albanian words are created by adding 'për' to another Albanian word. The addition of 'për' to a word may serve to emphasize its meaning or may result in a word that seems completely unrelated.
Examples:
përflas, talk excessively about someone, talk behind someone's back (created from flas, speak);
përafroj, approximate, from afroj, bring closer;
përcaktoj, define, from caktoj, assign;

Other prefixes have been borrowed from Latin or other languages and can be easily recognized as such.
Examples:
antidemokratik, anti-democratic;
dezinfektoj, disinfect, from infektoj, infect;
ultranacionalist, ultranationalist;


-i, -si/-ësi, -ri/-ëri. These suffixes usually create a noun from an adjective or from an adverb.
Examples:
bukuri, beauty, from i bukur, beautiful;
dituri, knowledge, from i ditur, knowledgeable;
pasuri, wealth, from i pasur, wealthy;
trimëri, bravery, from trim, brave;
zgjuarsi, cleverness, from i zgjuar, clever;
qetësi, calmness, from i qetë, calm;
largësi, distance, from larg, far;
aftësi, ability, from i aftë, able;
pafundësi, infinity, from i pafund, infinite;
përgjegjësi, responsibility, from përgjegjës, responsible;
letërsi, literature, from letër, paper, letter;

-tar/-ëtar, -tor/-ëtor, -ës, -ues. These are similar to the English '-er' which creates 'worker' from 'work'.
Examples:
luftëtar, warrior, from luftë, war;
punëtor, worker, from punë, work;
fshatar, villager, from fshat, village;
mesdhetar, Mediterranean, from mesdhe, Mediterranean Sea;
hapës, opener, from hap, open;
mësues, teacher, from mësoj, teach;
dërgues, sender, from dërgoj, send;
tërheqës, attractive, from tërheq, attract;

-im, -je. This is similar to the English suffixes '-ing' or '-ion/tion'.
Examples:
gërmim, excavation, from gërmoj, excavate;
lexim, reading, from lexoj, read;
arsimim, education, schooling, from arsimoj, educate;
përsëritje, repetition, from përsëris, repeat;
falje, forgiveness, from fal, forgive;
ikje, departure, from iki, depart;

Note: The suffix 'im' creates masculine nouns, the 'je' creates feminine nouns.

-isht. This suffix, when added to the name of a country, gives the name of the language spoken in that country.
Examples:
anglisht, English, from Angli, England;
gjermanisht, German, from Gjermani, Germany;
italisht, Italian, from Itali, Italy;
greqisht, Greek, from Greqi, Greece;
etc. Albanian is a notable exception from the above rule. Albanians call their country 'Shqipëri' and their language 'shqipe'.

In other times, the Albanian suffix '-isht' is similar to the English suffix '-ly':
Examples:
pafundësisht, infinitely, from pafundësi, infinity;
trimërisht, bravely, from trimëri, bravery;
pabesisht, treacherously, from pabesi, treachery;

-shëm. This suffix creates an adjective or an adverb from a verb. It is similar to the suffix '-able' of English.
Examples:
i përdorshëm, usable, from përdor, use;
i pishëm, potable, from pi, drink;
i besueshëm, believable, from besoj, believe;

Other suffixes have been borrowed from Latin or other languages and can be easily recognized as such.
Examples:
kapitalizëm;
globalizëm;


Albanian allows the joining of words together into single words.
Examples:
bregdet, seashore, from breg + det, shore + sea;
kryeqytet, capital, from krye + qytet, head + city;
hekurbeton, reinforced concrete, from hekur + beton, iron + concrete;
i tejdukshëm, transparent, from tej + i dukshëm, through + viewable;
bashkëpunoj, cooperate, from bashkë + punoj, together + work;