𐰢𐰤

• 𐰋𐰤‎ (ben)

From Proto-Turkic *ben (“I”). An early nasalized form of 𐰋𐰤‎ (ben), both attested at Orkhon inscriptions. Cognate to Turkish ben (“I”), one of the only modern Turkic forms along with Gagauz preserving initial /b/. Compare also Turkish -im (“first person singular suffix”).

𐰢𐰤 (men)

1. I

• 𐰢𐰭𐰀‎ (maŋa, “to me”)
• 𐰢𐰤𐰭‎ (meniŋ, “mine”)

𐰢𐰤 (-men)

1. Denotes first person singular after simple present or future tense marker.

   ‏:𐰽𐰲𐰺: 𐰢𐰤‎‎ ― Sačar men. ― I scatter.

   ‏:𐰴𐰕𐰍𐰣𐰆𐰺𐰢𐰤‎‎ ― Qazɣanurmen. ― I conquer.

2. Denotes "to be" for first person singular

   ‏:𐰞𐱃𐰆𐰣: 𐰉𐰽𐰞𐰃𐰍: 𐰖𐰃𐰞𐰣: 𐰢𐰤‎‎ ― Altun bašlïɣ yïlan men. ― I am a snake with golden head.

• Often attested separately.

• Clauson, Gerard (1972), “ben”, in An Etymological Dictionary of pre-thirteenth-century Turkish, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 346