Gjá

Gjë is an Albanian noun meaning "thing" or "matter." It refers to a physical object as well as an abstract concept or issue, and it also functions as a general placeholder in everyday discourse. The word is highly common in both formal and colloquial Albanian, appearing in a wide range of expressions to denote objects, situations, or topics under discussion. For example, Çfarë është kjo gjë? translates to "What is this thing?" and Kjo gjë është e rëndësishme means "This matter is important."

Grammar and forms: Gjë is a feminine noun. In its singular indefinite form it is gjë, while the definite singular form is gjëja ("the thing"). The plural indefinite form is gjëra ("things"), and the definite plural is gjërat ("the things"). This pattern follows standard Albanian noun inflection, with the definite suffix -a for singular and -at for plural in the definite plural.

Pronunciation and related usage: Gjë is pronounced with a palatal onset, indicated in phonetic notation as [ˈɟə]. The digraph gj represents a consonant sound distinct from g, and it appears in many Albanian words beyond gjë. In usage, gjë combines with adjectives and clauses to form phrases such as gjë e mirë ("a good thing"), gjë që di të japë the sense of "the thing that I know" or more generally "that which." The word also participates in relative clauses, as in gjë që më intereson ("the thing that interests me").

See also: Albanian language, Albanian grammar, Albanian orthography.