maar

From German Maar; English usage from 1825.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /mɑː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /mɑːɹ/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)
• Homophone: mar

maar (plural maars or maare)

1. (geology) A broad volcanic crater, usually filled with water to form a lake.

• crater lake

• -rama, ARMA, Amar, Aram, Mara, Rama, Rāma, mara

• mar

From Dutch maar.

• IPA^(key): /mɑːr/

maar

1. only; solely; just

   As ek maar [net] die dag kon af kry.

   If I could just get the day off.

2. slightly; a bit; a little

   Werk is maar [bietjie] vervelig.

   Work is a bit boring.

3. please

   Ek gaan bietjie laat wees, so hou maar [asseblief] my kos warm.

   I'll be a bit late, so please keep my food warm.

4. feel free; please

   Sit maar [gerus].

   Feel free to sit. / Please sit.

5. quite; really

   Sy lyk maar [taamlik] siek.

   She looks quite sick.

6. so long or just (often apologetically)

   Julle het julle tyd gevat, toe begin ons maar [solank] sonder julle.

   You guys were taking your time, so we started without you so long.

7. still; continuously

   Dit gaan maar [steeds] sleg.

   It is [still] going badly.

Maar has many synonyms which is often used alongside it with no change in meaning, however to the native ear the use of maar without these synonyms can in some contexts sound odd. In some cases using maar with one of its synonyms helps to clear up ambiguity.

maar

1. but; however

• dog

• egter

maar (plural maars or mare)

1. (uncommon) but

   Dis 'n groot maar, behalwe as ons voldoende voorberei.

   It's a big but, except if we prepare adequately.

• IPA^(key): /maːr/
• Rhymes: -aːr

• audio

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From Middle Dutch maer, māre, mar, mer, apheretic variant of nemaer, nemāre, from earlier newaer, neware (“except, however, only”), from ne ware (“were not”).

maar

1. only, just

   Het was maar een vraag! / Het is maar een kwestie van tijd!

   It was only a question! / It is only a matter of time!

2. as long as; only
3. just; a modal particle indicating a certain degree of indifference towards the result.

   Leg het lepeltje maar op het schoteltje van het koffiekopje.

   Just (go ahead and) place the spoon on the saucer of the coffee cup.

• nog maar
• zeg maar
• maar liefst

maar

1. but
2. yet; only
3. but then

See the etymology of the main entry.

maar

1. first-person singular present indicative of maren
2. imperative of maren

• raam

From Maria (“Mary, mother of Jesus Christ”)

maar

1. (dialectal, Turku region) Used as fortifier after e.g. words kyllä (“yes”), totta (“true”).

• Mara, mara