jn

Usage notes

This particle comes at the beginning of an interrogative sentence. It can be used alongside the interrogative particle tr or by itself as the sole such particle.

In adverbial sentences with jn, the particle jw regularly follows jn, and nominal sentences with jn can also have it followed by jw. Verb forms that use jw as an initial particle in main clauses also usually have jn followed by jw in yes/no questions.

Alternative forms

Usage notes

Introduces the subject or topic of the sentence. The agent it introduces cannot be a personal pronoun.

Allen considers this preposition to be ‘probably the same word’ as the above interrogative particle.

Derived terms

• .jn
• jn (quotative particle)

Usage notes

Like the other quotatives kꜣ, ḫr, and ḫrw.fj, this word either follows the entire quotation that it marks or is inserted near its start (but never at its start).

This quotative is common in Old and Late Egyptian but restricted to archaic religious texts in Middle Egyptian.

Inflection

Reflecting its verbal origin, this particle’s form can vary depending on the person and number of the speaker:

With the plural form j.n.sn and the dual form j.n.snj, the following noun indicating the speaker is optional.

Alternative forms