ngjan

Ngjan is a verb in Albanian that expresses two related senses: to seem or to resemble. In the sense of appearance or impression, it is used to indicate how something is perceived, often with adjectives or descriptive clauses. In the sense of resemblance, it denotes likeness between people or objects, typically with the preposition me or with a following noun.

Usage examples show the two functions. For resemblance, a common pattern is i ngjan + possessive or noun: Ai i ngjan babait të tij means “He resembles his father.” The structure highlights physical or character likeness. For appearance or impression, ngjan can link to adjectives or similes: Kjo ngjan mirë or Kjo ngjan si diçka që dihet të jetë e vjetër, meaning “This looks/gives the impression of being good” or “This looks like something old.” The phrase ngjan si introduces a simile, as in Ai ngjan si një këngëtar i madh, meaning “He looks like a great singer.”

Grammatical notes indicate that ngjan is used in the present tense for third-person singular and is inflected like a typical Albanian verb for other subjects and tenses. As with many Albanian verbs, its exact form changes with person, number, and mood, but the meaning remains tied to perception or likeness.

In usage, ngjan appears across registers—from informal speech to formal writing—and commonly appears in everyday descriptions of appearance or in comparisons. It can be complemented by nouns, adjectives, or dependent clauses to express nuanced perception.

See also: Albanian language, verbs of perception, resemblance in language.