Inherited fromOld Hindiहै(hai),आहि(āhi). Per Turner, from a variant ofPrakrit𑀅𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀇(akkhaï), supposingआहि(āhi) < Prakrit*𑀆𑀳𑁂𑀇(*āhei) < Pre-Prakrit*𑀆𑀔𑁂𑀢𑀺(*ākheti) <Sanskritआक्षेति(ākṣeti,“dwells”). This is phonetically convincing and supported by cognates likeMagahi𑂯𑂶(hai) ~𑂯𑂍𑂶(hakai) andSindhi[script needed](ā̃hĭ̄ni,“they are”) that appear to derive from*𑀆𑀳𑁂𑀇(*āhei). In this case,doublet ofअछना(achnā) and also cognate withMarathiआहे(āhe,“is”),Bengaliআছে(ache,“is”),Maithiliअछि(achi),Gujaratiછે(che,“is”).[1]
Other alternative etymologies suggest derivation fromSanskritअस्ति(asti,“it is”) orभवति(bhavati,“it is”), but these are less convincing.[2] See alsoहो(ho) andहुआ(huā).
Cognate withMaithiliअछि(achɨ),Bhojpuriहोब(hōb),Hindiहै(hai),Marathiआहे(āhe).
है (hai) (Kaithi𑂯𑂶)
है (hai)