a

Pronunciation of IPA [aː]

(superscript) See ª.

basic modern Latin alphabet
Appendix:Latin script#English

The first letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.


a

Pronunciation of IPA [aː]

(IPA, phonetics) an open front or central unrounded vowel.

(IPA, superscript ⟨ᵃ⟩) [a]-coloring or a weak, fleeting, epenthetic or echo [a].

(international standards) transliterates Indic अ (or equivalent).


a

Abbreviation of atto-, from Danish atten (“eighteen”).

International System of Units
International System of Units

atto-, prefix for 10⁻¹⁸ in the International System of Units.


a

Year as a unit of time, specifically a Julian year or 365.25 days.


a

An are, a unit of area one hundredth of a hectare; ares.


a

n-year annuity-immediate to a person currently age x

aₓ

life annuity-immediate to a person currently age x

(actuarial notation) Annuity; (specifically) annuity-immediate.


a

head

a (lowercase, uppercase A, plural as or a's)

The letter name is from Middle English ā, from Old French, ultimately from Latin ā. Use of the Latin letter in (Old) English displaced the futhorc letter ᚪ (a) beginning in the 7th century, and partially also ᚫ (æ).

This expression is zero, for we have replaced the column of a''''s by the column of bs and hence the determinant has two columns identical.

1917, John Wesley Young, Frank Millett Morgan, Elementary Mathematical Analysis, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, page 487:

Passmore. Capital P-a-double s-m-o-r-e.

1926, George Kelly, Craig's Wife, Act I, page 5:

Note that with 18-point type, fifteen capital A's, twenty-five lowercase a's, and twelve 1's are obtained with one font. With this information, it is possible to refer to Table 10-1 which gives the number of characters for each letter, punctuation mark, or figure.

1974, Ervin A. Dennis, John D. Jenkins, “A Font of Type”, in Comprehensive Graphic Arts, Indianapolis, I.N.: Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc., →ISBN, page 26, column 2:

Across every sheet of paper were lines and lines of letters of the alphabet. A row of a's followed by a row of b's and so on, pages of them, like pages from a copy book, crudely formed as if from the hand of a young child.

2013, Margaret McPhee, Mistress to the Marquis, Toronto, Ont.: Harlequin Historical, →ISBN, page 249:

In the seventh grade I admired a charismatic, witty girl who had a particular way of writing her lowercase a's. After some practice, I took to writing my lowercase a's in the same fashion.

2014 February 23, Rivka Galchen, “What’s Become of the So-Called Literary Bad Boy?”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2014-02-19:

The first letter of the English alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

Latin script
Appendix:Latin script#English

The ordinal number first, derived from this letter of the English alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script.


a

This piece somewhat resembles an a. On the left is a man seated on the ground, with a dog between his legs, and a large bird of prey in his hands, which appears to be biting his head.

1816, William Young Ottley, An Inquiry Into the Origin and Early History of Engraving […], volume II, London: […] John and Arthur Arch, […] by J. M'Creery, page 621:

But with some prelude of disparagement, / Read, mouthing out his hollow oes and aes, / Deep-chested music, and to this result.

1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Epic”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 2:

Letters should be spelled as follows; aes, bees, cees, dees, ees, efs, gees, aitches, ies, jays, kays, els, ems, ens, oes, pees, ques, ars, esses, tees, ues, vees, ws or dubleyuz, exes, wyes, zees.

[1906, Leigh H[adley] Irvine, “Abbreviations in General”, in The Magazine Style Code: A Manual For The Guidance Of Authors, Reporters And All Who Write, San Francisco, C.A.: Crown Publishing Company, pages 15–16:

St Lynas was chatting with a group of rebellious young college students one day, who decried the moral standards of the past. ¶ So St Lynas drew an 'a' on some paper, and asked them what it was. ¶ 'A' they said.

1993, Frank Pagden, “Teaching”, in The Gospel According to St. Lynas, Tunbridge Wells: Mitre, →ISBN, unnumbered page:

Compare Lydia's signature on some of the work orders with the warning notes. The loop through the lowercase a is similar. See what I mean?

2023, Amanda Stevens, Secret of Shutter Lake, Toronto, Ont.: Harlequin Intrigue, →ISBN, page 237:

The name of the Latin script letter A / a.


a

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *éy?
Proto-Indo-European *-nós?
Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos
Proto-Germanic *ainaz
Proto-West Germanic *ain
Old English ān
Middle English an
Middle English a
English a
From Middle English a, an, from Old English ān (“one; a; lone; sole”). More at one. The "n" was gradually lost before consonants in almost all dialects by the 15th century. Cognate with Alemannic German a (“a, an”), East Franconian a (“a, an”).

etymon

There was a man here looking for you yesterday.

He had another formidable difficulty in getting him across the river, where both horses stuck for a time in the mire, and Beatte was nearly unseated from his saddle by the force of the current and the struggles of his captive.

1835, [Washington Irving], chapter XX, in A Tour on the Prairies (The Crayon Miscellany; no. 1), Philadelphia, Pa.: [Henry Charles] Carey, [Isaac] Lea, & Blanchard, →OCLC, page 151:

The young man thanked me, and took his leave with some little precipitation, after declining a glass of liquor.

1859 December 13, Charles Dickens, “The Mortals in the House”, in Charles Dickens, editor, The Haunted House. The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round […], volume II, London: […] C[harles] Whiting, […], →OCLC, page 6, column 1:

Speaking as a servant, I am deeply indebted to you. Speaking as a man, I consider you to be a person whose head is full of maggots, and I take up my testimony against your experiment as a delusion and a snare.

1868 January 4 – June 6, [William] Wilkie Collins, “(please specify the page) [Fourth Narrative. Extracted from the Journal of Ezra Jennings.]”, in The Moonstone. A Romance. […], volume III, London: Tinsley Brothers, […], published 1868, →OCLC, page 185:

With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get […]

1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, “Preface”, in The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:

Hoots the Owl: Yes a, fruit, is a , any, time, food!

2005, Emily Kingsley (lyricist), Kevin Clash (voice actor), “A Cookie is a Sometime Food”, Sesame Street, season 36, Sesame Workshop

Anna, do you have a pen? — Yes. I have a pen in my bag. I have a (stressed) …
Audio (US): (file)

2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

In retrospect, I realise, I had been unconsciously devoting a large amount of energy to negative choice, a concept I'm borrowing and adapting from sociologist Eva Illouz's 2019 treatise, The End of Love (by way of a viral Paris Review essay).

2023 March 9, Moya Lothian-Mclean, “A nose ring, a bicycle, a Radiohead album: I'm becoming a total cliche – and I quite like it”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-05-11:

The C.I.A. infiltrated not just magazines, radio, and movies but youth organizations and movements like Abstract Expressionism; all were meant to inspire a reverence for democracy and freedom, a project that, in Walker's telling, often tips into absurdity.

2024 May 21, Sarah Larson, “When the C.I.A. Turned Writers Into Operatives”, in The New Yorker, New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-05-21:

indefinite article
indefinite article#Noun

An unspecified example of (something); the indefinite article.

I've seen it happen a hundred times.

Everybody drinks a lot in wartime, but it seemed to me that I must have drunk enough to float a couple of battleships.

1945, Peter Cheyney, Sinister Errand, London: Collins, published 1952, page 8:

You've seen it a dozen times already.

1999, Sara Hylton, Separate Lives, London: Piatkus, →ISBN, page 93:

By the time he gets onto a chair, the pristine powder snow below the lift has already been chopped up by a hundred tracks, and the line to get back up stretches the length of a football field.

2024 February 27, “The economics of skiing in America”, in The Economist, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-05-08:

One; used before score, dozen, hundred, thousand, million, etc.

He's a bit thick, isn't he?

They asked me a few questions.

But I was going to say, that while I was dawdling about abroad, I saw a good many talented young fellows making all sorts of sacrifices, and enduring real hardships, that they might realize their dreams. Splendid fellows, some of them, working like heroes, poor and friendless, but so full of courage, patience and ambition, that I was ashamed of myself, and longed to give them a right good lift.

1869, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, “My Lord and Lady”, in Little Women: […], part second, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC, page 315:

The main influence here is job tenure—the men had been at their specific jobs a good while longer than the women.

1989, Robert T. Michael, Heidi I[rmgard] Hartmann, Brigid O'Farrell, editors, Pay Equity: Empirical Inquiries, Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, →ISBN, page 3, column 2:

Twenty years after the movie's release, we know a lot more about the Atlantic Ocean's circulation. Instruments deployed in the ocean starting in 2004 show that the Atlantic Ocean circulation has observably slowed over the past two decades, possibly to its weakest state in almost a millennium.

2024 February 13, René M. van Westen, Henk A. Dijkstra, Michael Kliphuis, “If the Atlantic Ocean Loses Circulation, What Happens Next?”, in Scientific American, New York, N.Y.: Springer Nature America, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-02-13:

Used in some phrases denoting quantity, such as a few, a good many, a couple, a little, a bit, etc.

There are a few hundred orders that need to be fulfilled by tomorrow.

The blues were eating leisurely, swimming about and opening their great mouths, spouting and filling their enormous stomachs with intense satisfaction. They had no idea of danger. There must have been about fifteen of them, peacefully feeding. One of them, its belly gorged probably with a few trillion plankton, seemed to be lying asleep on the surface.

1934, Alan Villiers, Whalers of the Midnight Sun: […], New York, N.Y., London: Charles Scribner's Sons, page 154:

The impact of hidden virality can't be stopped by retroactively banning a few thousand Twitter accounts; it is an iterative, memetic phenomenon that outpaces terms of service.

2020 July 31, Brian Friedberg, “The Dark Virality of a Hollywood Blood-Harvesting Conspiracy”, in Wired, San Francisco, C.A.: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-05-15:

That was on the first day's walk. It took him until day three, after a good ten miles, to ask her out.

2023, Don Winslow, City of Dreams, London: HarperCollins Publishers, →ISBN, page 332:

The door was opened a little.

If, for example, you ask a child what he likes to do, he may say he doesn't know. However, if you watch him during free time, and note that he plays basketball a lot, you may infer that this is a high-probability behavior, and he finds it reinforcing.

1978, Deane H. Shapiro, Jr., Precision Nirvana, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, Inc., →ISBN, page 104:

The bridge was shifted a bit to the east and rebuilt, this time with the shops of money-changers along both sides.

2009, James H. S. McGregor, Paris From the Ground Up, Cambridge, M.A., London: Belknap Press, →ISBN, page 163:

You don't need to go cold turkey to help your health. Even reducing a little bit can be beneficial, especially if you currently drink over the recommended limits.

2023 January 13, Dana G. Smith, “Even a Little Alcohol Can Harm Your Health, Research Shows”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-05-10:

Used in some adverbial phrases denoting the degree or extent of an action, such as a little, a bit, a lot, etc.

We are of a mind on matters of morals.

They're two of a kind.

birds of a feather
birds of a feather#English

The same; one and the same. Used in phrases such as of a kind, birds of a feather, etc.

A man who dies intestate leaves his children troubles and difficulties.

Any; every; used before a noun which has become modified to limit its scope.

It was so dark that we couldn't see a thing.

He fell all that way, and hasn't a bump on his head?

No, it is impossible. My conscience would give me not a moment's peace if I let you go. I would never forgive myself.

2001, Stephen Lawhead, The Mystic Rose Book (Celtic Crusades; III), London, […]: BCA, page 180:

When had my own feelings become so muddled and complicated? Before I take a single step, he catches my arm, turning me to him.

2014, Sherry D. Ficklin, Queen of Someday: A Stolen Empire Novel, [Colony, T.X.]: Clean Teen Publishing, →ISBN, page 116:

My friend Cindy's husband, Michael Zahavi, a true chocoholic if there ever was one, adores this tart. In fact, when I visited their cottage up in Muskoka, Ontario one summer and brought this along as a treat, he got up in the middle of the night to nosh away at it, leaving us sleepyheads with nary a crumb the next day.

2016, Daphna Rabinovitch, “Fudge Truffle Tart”, in The Baker in Me, Vancouver, B.C.: Whitecap Books, →ISBN, page 204:

Any; used with a negative to indicate not a single one.

The lottery jackpot is worth a staggering three hundred million dollars.

The holidays are a mere one week away.

Used before an adjective that modifies a noun (singular or plural) delimited by a numeral.

We've received an interesting letter from a Mrs. Miggins of London.

One; someone named; used before a person's name, suggesting that the speaker knows little about the person other than the name.

At Waterloo she asked George for £5 and said that she would go home by tube, and a relieved George watched her descend the Underground steps.

1963, Robert Hancock, Ruth Ellis: The Last Woman To Be Hanged, London: Orion, published 1993, →ISBN, page 35:

"There, I think that's done it," declared a triumphant John, "we just need to try it with the bar now, where is it?"

2016, David J. Bailey, The Storm, London: Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd., →ISBN, page 147:

"I will continue my campaign to fight for the rights of all Rwandans," a surprised but happy Rwigara told reporters after celebrating.

2018, “Rwandan court drops all charges against opposition figure”, in Associated Press:

Used before an adjective modifying a person's name, typically used to emphasize that person's current condition or emotional state.

The center of the village was becoming a Times Square.

The man is a regular Romeo.

[Jules] Pécher actually sculpted a sort of Statue of Liberty for the centerpiece of the monument, but for the rest he thought it advisable to call in Van Rasbourgh, and Rodin thus became a ghost sculptor to a ghost sculptor.

1987, Frederic V. Grunfeld, Rodin: A Biography, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, page 88:

Billy fancied himself as a bit of a Han Solo, but he shook his head. 'Stop being a wuss.' He grinned. 'Your go.'

2009, Ed Macy, Hellfire, London: Harper Press, →ISBN, page 134:

For the first 5 or 6 days after the eggs hatch, the mother spends most of her time keeping the chicks warm while the father provides most of their meals. All that work may be what prompts the female to leave the family. They share feeding duties more equally during the next week or 10 days, until the young leave the nest. Producing a second batch is easier if she skips the last grueling week or two of provisioning fledglings. She can recharge her batteries by moseying off and, while on vacation, looking for a new Casanova.

2020, Laura Erickson, The Love Lives of Birds: Courting and Mating Rituals, North Adams, M.A.: Storey Publishing, →ISBN, page 81:

Someone or something like; similar to; used before a proper noun to create an example out of it.


a

* From Middle English a, o, from Old English a-, an, on.
* Unstressed form of on.

torn a pieces

I brush my teeth twice a day.

A Sundays

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:

Patent requests for machine learning activities grew on average by 28 percent a year between 2013 and 2016, the study found.
Audio (US): (file)

2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 2019-02-07

To do with time; Each, per, in, on, by. Often occurs between two nouns, where the first noun occurs at the end of a verbal phrase.

To set the people a worke.

stand a tiptoe

(archaic) To do with position or direction; In, on, at, by, towards, onto.

The times, they are a-changin'.

1964, Bob Dylan (lyrics and music), “The Times They Are a-Changin'”:

(archaic) To do with process, with a passive verb; In the course of, experiencing.

It was a doing.

c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:

Jacob, when he was a dying

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Hebrews 11:21:

(archaic) To do with an action, an active verb; Engaged in.

(archaic) To do with an action/movement; To, into.

Stands here a purpose.

c. 1589–1590 (date written), Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1633, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

a God’s name

(obsolete) To do with role or capacity; In.


a

From Middle English a, ha contraction of have, or haven.

I'd a come, if you'd a asked.

So would I a done, by yonder Sunne, / If thou hadſt not come to my bed.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v], signature H2, recto:

"Well, I reckon it did, marm, for that shot would a gone a couple a inches deeper but for my old mammy's camphor bag," answered the cheerful philosopher.

1863 May 22 – 1863 June 26, L[ouisa] M[ay] Alcott, “A Day”, in Hospital Sketches, Boston, Mass.: James Redpath, […], published August 1863, →OCLC, page 36:

He dropped below me, with the current, and by-and-by he come a-swinging up shore in the easy water, and he went by so close I could a reached out the gun and touched him.

1884 December 10, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter VII, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) […], London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, page 54:

Oi'd a gen im a clout, if oi'd been theer.

[1886, Robert Hollan, “A, prep.”, in A Glossary of Words Used in the County of Chester (English Dialect Society; XVI), London: Trübner & Co.:

They live in the river bottom. Don't you know a thing? I thought you must a seen them, since they was here all winter, cutting at the woods and burning brush.

1964, John Ehle, The Land Breakers, New York, N.Y. […]: Harper & Row, Publishers, page 53:

'I never told him, pleaded Liam. 'If I 'ad a done, he'd a taken the rifles, wouldn't he? Thing is, I wanted to fire a gun for real. See what it felt like. So I just borrowed it and went out on me own to have a go. But I didn't get the chance because I came across a patrol and I panicked and chucked the thing in a bin.'

2013, William Brodrick, The Discourtesy of Death, London: Little, Brown, →ISBN, page 247:

(dialectal or slang) Have (auxiliary verb).

I wisht you a seen 'im; fust he looked mighty gubious; then he begins ter laff. He'll git likened ter ridin' mighty briefly."

1887 October, Octave Thanet [pseudonym; Alice French], “The Mortgage on Jeffy”, in Scribner's Magazine, volume II, number 4, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner's Sons, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 478, column 1:

(dialectal or slang, rare) had (auxiliary verb).


a

From Middle English a, a reduced form of he (“he”)/ha (“he”), heo (“she”)/ha (“she”), ha (“it”), and hie, hie (“they”).

a’ brushes his hat o’ mornings.

1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

Well! in a come [in he came]—KING GEORGE to town, / With doust and zweat az netmeg brown, / The hosses all in smoke;

1795, Peter Pindar, The Royal Visit to Exeter, a Political Epistle: by John Ploughshare ... published by Peter Pindar, Esq, page 5:

A do veed amang th' lilies.

"The amoighty's a taakin' o' you to 'issén, my friend," a said, […]

1864, Tennyson, N. Farmer, Old Style, st. 7, version of 1917, Raymond Macdonald Alden, Alfred Tennyson, how to Know Him, page 226

(obsolete outside England and Scotland dialects) He, she, they: the third-person singular or plural nominative.

(obsolete outside England and Scotland dialects) He, the third-person singular nominative.

A wanted me to go with her.

Did a do it!

A's getting wambling on her pins [shaky on her legs].

1883, Hardy, Tover, page 124 (edition of 1895)

(obsolete outside England and Scotland dialects) She, the third-person singular nominative.

He've a got a great venture on hand, but what a [it] be he tell'th no man.

1855, Kingsley, W. Ho!, page 120 (edition of 1889)

Doctors, they knaws nowt, fur a [they] says what's nawways true.

1864, Tennyson, N. Farmer, Old Style, st. 2


a

Etymology tree
Proto-West Germanic *ab
Old English æf
Old English of
Middle English of
English a
From Middle English of, with apocope of the final f and vowel reduction.

The name of John a Gaunt.

What time a day is it?

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

It’s six a clock.

1598, Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Euery Man in His Humour. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

Two bottles 'a whiskey for the way

Isis rode my mug like she was on a ten-inch dick, and as soon as she nutted I tossed her ass off a me and flipped her on her back, then fucked the shit outta her cause it was payback time.

2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 152:


a

From Northern Middle English aw, alteration of all.


a

James was going with his mother to attend the ceremonies at which his oldest sister in the convent would make perpetual vows. Being asked where he was going, he answered, “I’m goin’ a see my sister make percapital vowels.”

1923 January, “The Sunshine of Childhood (Contributed)”, in Benedict Brown, editor, The Grail, volume 4, number 9, St. Meinrad, Ind.: The Abbey Press, page 284, column 2:

The man walks toward me. “I met that asshole. He’s tryin’ a sell us a bag a bullshit.”

2007, BK Loren, “Got Tape?”, in Barry Lopez, editor, The Future of Nature: Writing on a Human Ecology from Orion Magazine, Minneapolis, Minn.: Milkweed Editions, →ISBN, page 43:

Don’tcha try deny it, / ’Cause Hose knows you dyin’ a try it— […] Knows you out tryin’ a buy it, / But Hose only gives it free

2012 October 23, Tom Wolfe, Back to Blood: A Novel, Large Print edition, New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 66:

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling


a

Contraction of gonna, itself a reduction of going to; see Etymology 8 above (“to”).

I'm a go see what's going on out there.

"Sure, Billy, I'm a run downstairs to the machine and get me a pack of bigarettes," he said, taking off with his Melody.

2010, Todd Bridges, Killing Willis: From Diff'rent Strokes to the Mean Streets to the Life I Always Wanted, New York, N.Y.: Touchstone Books, →ISBN, page 146:

Ain't nothin' in the house to eat and now that we has Mr. Alex staying with us a few days I'm a need to buy some groceries so yous two can have the house to yo'self 'til I get back.

2012, Bertrand E. Brown, Sylvia's Dilemma: A Novel, →ISBN, page 95:

I'm a head out there now and take a look.

2018, Monica Jeremie, Married to a Dade County Bully 2, Urban Chapters Publications, →ISBN, page 85:

"The Glock 26 and the motherfucking, uh, the Hi-Point. I'm a try to get the both of them," another said.

2021, Ioan Grillo, Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels, New York, N.Y. […]: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, page 141:

(African-American Vernacular) Used to express a future action; going to.


a

By cock a pie and Mous-foot Dent bring's in, / Examples to express forbidden Sin:

1655, William Barton, Man's Monitor, or, the Free-school of Virtue; Holding Forth the Duties Required and Sins Forbidden in the Two Tables of the Law., London: W.D. for T. Underhill, unnumbered page; republished in Early English Books Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Text Creation Partnership, p. 2011:

Thee lace ma? Chem a laced well-a-fine aready.—Zey wone word more, and chell breſh tha, chell make thy boddize pilmee.

1746, “Exmoor Scolding: Or, a Devonſhire Dialogue:”, in The Gentleman's Magazine, and Historical Chronicle, volume XVI, London: Edw. Cave, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 353, column 2:

4. as if. "I'll gi ye a dunt i' the hid 'a ye dew so no more." This is equivalent to the "an if" of some of our old writers.

1823, Edward Moor, Suffolk Words and Phrases: Or, An Attempt to Collect the Lingual Localisms of that County, London: J. Loder, page 2:

(obsolete, dialectal, rare) Contraction of and.


a

Distance from leading edge to aerodynamic center.

specific absorption coefficient
specific absorption coefficient


a

Do you have the answer for 23a?

(chiefly US) Alternative spelling of a.m. (“ante meridiem”) or am


a

“I show a you right a here I can fuck a you.” “Is she crazy?” I asked Wyman.

2001, Louis F. Newcomb, Car Salesman: A Legacy, iUniverse, page 91

Alternative form of -a (“empty syllable added to songs, poetry, verse and other speech”)


a

Cyrillic script
Appendix:Cyrillic script#English

The name of the Cyrillic script letter А / а.


a

"We will resume yesterday's discourse, young ladies," said he, "and you shall each read a page by turns; so that Miss a—Miss Short may have an opportunity of hearing you"; and the poor girls began to spell a long dismal sermon delivered at Bethesda Chapel, Liverpool, on behalf of the mission for the Chickasaw Indians.

1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:


a

* According to Orel, the particle and conjunction are etymologically identical. From Proto-Albanian *a and cognate to Ancient Greek ἦ (ê, “indeed”).
* From Proto-Albanian *(h)au, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eu- (“that”). Cognate to Ancient Greek αὖ (aû, “on the other hand, again”). A proclitic disjunctive particle, used with one or more parts of the sentence.


a

From Proto-Albanian *(h)an, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en (“there”). Cognate with Latin an (“yes, perhaps”). Interrogative particle, usually used proclitically in simple sentences.


a

The first letter of the Standard Albanian Latin-script alphabet.


a

a luenga aragonesa


a

The first letter of the Azerbaijani alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The first letter of the Basque alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

Cognate with German ein, eine, Yiddish אַ (a), אַן (an).


a

Alternative form of aa: also, too, as well


a

ac'hanon (singular)
ac'hanomp (plural)
ac'hanout (singular)
ac'hanoc'h (plural)
anezhañ (singular)
anezho (plural third-person)
anezhi (singular)
ac'hanor (plural)

From Proto-Brythonic *o, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó.

tud a Vrest

un tamm brav a gig

ur plac’h a enor

ur voutailh leun a sistr

after certain adjectives or adverbs expressing quantity

tri a vugale

after ordinal numbers with a plural noun

nʼem eus ket ken a vutun

used in negative sentences with the grammatical object

paouezet eo ar glav a gouezhañ

it has stopped raining [lit. the rain has stopped falling]

before the infinitive after certain verbs like paouez, mirout, diwall, c'hwitañ

ur vrav a blacʼh

after substantivized adjectives used as nouns

gwelet em boa acʼhanout

an den a gomzan anezhañ


a

ar mor a zo glas

preverbal particle used when
the subject precedes the verb

an den-se a glevan

preverbal particle used when
the object precedes the verb


a

an hini a garan

(relative) that, which, who (used in 'direct' relative clauses, i.e. where the pronoun refers to the subject or the direct object of an inflected verb)


a

Alternative spelling of I (“1st person singular subject personal pronoun”)


a

The first letter of the Catalan alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

Sóc a Barcelona.

in, at; indicating a particular time or place

Vaig a Barcelona.

to; indicating movement towards a particular place

Escric una carta a la meva àvia.

to; indicating a target or indirect object

dia a dia.


a

From Middle High German ein, from Old High German ein, from Proto-West Germanic *ain.

Maria iz a lavròunaren.


a

atyásuuna káasu hece

The water is pouring into the (shallow) pan.

entering a shallow domain; entering a domain in a shallow or restricted manner


a

Inserted before the verb when a subject or direct object precedes the verb


a

ahanaf (first-person singular)
ahanan (first-person plural)
ahanas (second-person singular)
ahanowgh (plural second-person)
anodho (m) (singular third-person)
anedhy (f) (singular third-person)
anodhans (plural third-person)
anedha (plural third-person)

From Proto-Brythonic *o, from Proto-Celtic *ɸo, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂pó.

of (expressing separation, origin, composition/substance or a quality)

of (between a preceding large number and a following plural noun to express quantity)


a

head

a f (masculine u, masculine plural i, feminine plural e)

u (masculine)
i (masculine plural)
e (feminine plural)


a

Inherited from Old Czech a, from Proto-Slavic *a, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ō.


a

The first letter of the Danish alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

a n (singular definite a'et, plural indefinite a'er)

a'et (definite singular)
a'er (indefinite plural)
a (indefinite nominative singular)
a'et (definite nominative singular)
a'er (indefinite nominative plural)
a'erne (definite nominative plural)
a's (genitive indefinite singular)
a'ets (definite genitive singular)
a'ers (genitive indefinite plural)
a'ernes (definite genitive plural)


a

The first letter of the Dutch alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

From Middle Dutch â, from Old Dutch ā, from Proto-Germanic *ahwō.


a

(Brabant, dialectal) Alternative form of u (“you”, objective or reflexive pronoun)


a

(Brabant, dialectal) Alternative form of uw (“your”)


a

The first letter of the Esperanto alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

a (accusative singular a-on, plural a-oj, accusative plural a-ojn)

a-on (accusative singular)
a-oj (plural)
a-ojn (accusative plural)

The name of the Latin-script letter A/a.


a

The first letter of the Estonian alphabet, called aa and written in the Latin script.


a

a (genitive a or a', partitive a-d or a'd)

a (genitive)
a' (genitive)
a-d (partitive)
a'd (partitive)
-d (nominative plural)
-d (accusative nominative plural)
-d (accusative genitive plural)
-de (genitive plural)
-d (partitive singular)
-id (partitive plural)
-sid (partitive plural)
-sse (illative singular)
-desse (illative plural)
-isse (illative plural)
-s (inessive singular)
-des (inessive plural)
-is (inessive plural)
-st (elative singular)
-dest (elative plural)
-ist (elative plural)
-le (allative singular)
-dele (allative plural)
-ile (allative plural)
-l (adessive singular)
-del (adessive plural)
-il (adessive plural)
-lt (ablative singular)
-delt (ablative plural)
-ilt (ablative plural)
-ks (singular translative)
-deks (plural translative)
-iks (plural translative)
-ni (singular terminative)
-deni (plural terminative)
-na (essive singular)
-dena (essive plural)
-ta (abessive singular)
-deta (abessive plural)
-ga (comitative singular)
-dega (comitative plural)
'd (nominative plural)
'd (accusative nominative plural)
'd (accusative genitive plural)
'de (genitive plural)
'd (partitive singular)
'id (partitive plural)
'sid (partitive plural)
'sse (illative singular)
'desse (illative plural)
'isse (illative plural)
's (inessive singular)
'des (inessive plural)
'is (inessive plural)
'st (elative singular)
'dest (elative plural)
'ist (elative plural)
'le (allative singular)
'dele (allative plural)
'ile (allative plural)
'l (adessive singular)
'del (adessive plural)
'il (adessive plural)
'lt (ablative singular)
'delt (ablative plural)
'ilt (ablative plural)
'ks (singular translative)
'deks (plural translative)
'iks (plural translative)
'ni (singular terminative)
'deni (plural terminative)
'na (essive singular)
'dena (essive plural)
'ta (abessive singular)
'deta (abessive plural)
'ga (comitative singular)
'dega (comitative plural)

The letter a (the first letter of the Estonian alphabet)


a

Clipping of aga. Probably influenced by Russian а (a).


a

a f sg (plural as, masculine u or o, masculine plural us or os)

as (plural)
u (masculine)
o (masculine)
us (masculine plural)
os (masculine plural)

From Old Galician-Portuguese á, from Latin illa (“that”).

A grandeda da lengua española é indiscotibli, i sei estudio, utilización defensa debin sel algo consostancial a nos, […]

2000, Domingo Frades Gaspar, Vamus a falal: Notas pâ coñocel y platical en nosa fala, Editora regional da Extremadura, Chapter 1: Lengua Española:

The greatness of the Spanish language is unquestionable, and its study, use and defense must be something consubstantial to us, […]


a

Third person singular feminine accusative pronoun; her


a

From Old Galician-Portuguese a, from Latin ad (“to”).


a

The first letter of the Faroese alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The Finnish orthography using the Latin script was based on those of Swedish, German and Latin, and was first used in the mid-16th century. No earlier script is known. See the Wikipedia article on Finnish for more information, and a for information on the development of the glyph itself.

fi-ety-letter

The first letter of the Finnish alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

fi-decl-table

a (type maa)

a (nominative singular)
a:t (nominative plural)
a:n (genitive singular)
a:iden (genitive plural)
a:itten (genitive plural)
a:ta (partitive singular)
a:ita (partitive plural)
a (accusative singular)
a:n (accusative singular)
a:t (accusative plural)
a:ssa (inessive singular)
a:issa (inessive plural)
a:sta (elative singular)
a:ista (elative plural)
a:han (illative singular)
a:ihin (illative plural)
a:lla (adessive singular)
a:illa (adessive plural)
a:lta (ablative singular)
a:ilta (ablative plural)
a:lle (allative singular)
a:ille (allative plural)
a:na (essive singular)
a:ina (essive plural)
a:ksi (singular translative)
a:iksi (plural translative)
a:tta (abessive singular)
a:itta (abessive plural)
a:in (instructive plural)
a:ineen (comitative plural)


a

The first letter of the French alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

a, the name of the Latin-script letter A


a

C’te fille-là, a’a l’air cute.

(Quebec, colloquial) alternative form of elle (“she”)


a

From Old French a, at from Vulgar Latin *at, from Latin habet.

Elle a un chat.

third-person singular present indicative of avoir


a

The first letter of the Fula alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

you (second person singular subject pronoun; short form)

aɗa

second person singular subject pronoun; long form

maaɗa

second person singular possessive pronoun (Adamawa)

-maa

second person singular dependent pronoun (Adamawa)


a

to, toward; indicating direction of motion

de cinco a oito

(with de) to, until; used to indicate the end of a range

a pé

by, on, by means of; expresses a mode of action


a

head

a f (masculine singular o, feminine plural as, masculine plural os)

o (masculine singular)
as (feminine plural)
os (masculine plural)

From Old Galician-Portuguese a, from Latin illa, feminine of ille (“that”).


a

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


a

The first letter of the German alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

head

a n (strong, genitive a or as, plural a or as)

a (genitive)
as (genitive)
a (plural)
as (plural)


a

From Proto-Oceanic *pat, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əpat, from Proto-Austronesian *Səpat.


a

you (second-person singular subject pronoun)


a

a hölgy

a héten

a télen


a

A mellett a ház mellett vártam rá.

I waited for him/her next to that house.

(in reduplicated constructions formed with postpositions) that


a

Foglalja össze, miről szóltak az a heti beszédek és leckék.

Summarize what that week’s sermons and lessons were about.

November 12-én, az a havi frissítőkedden jelenhet meg.

It may be released on November 12th, on the Patch Tuesday of that month.

Kérjük szíves tájékoztatásukat a tekintetben, hogy… (= abban a tekintetben, see az)

We kindly request your information in that [= the] aspect…

amondó vagyok, hogy…

I am of the opinion that…, what/all I can / want to say is that… (literally, “I am that-sayer/-saying…”)

(rare, only in consonant-initial fixed phrases, with zero article) Alternative form of az (“that”).


a

The first letter of the Hungarian alphabet, written in the Latin script.

(music) designation of the sixth note from C and the corresponding tone


a

The first letter of the Icelandic alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The first letter of the Ido alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The name of the Latin script letter A/a.


a

The first letter of the Igbo alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

A gwara ya ka ọ bịa.

(indefinite) somebody, one, they, people (an unspecified individual).


a

[…], que da-cá su quião que ta pertencê a êll.

1883, Hugo Schuchardt, Kreolische Studien, volume 3 (overall work in German):

[…] , to give him his share which belongs to him.


a

The first letter of the Indonesian alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script.

The name of the Latin-script letter A/a.


a

A siä Jaakko, kuhu määt?

1936, N. A. Iljin and V. I. Junus, Bukvari iƶoroin șkouluja vart, Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 17:

keskipäivääl hää [päivyt] on kaikkiin ylemmääl, a siis alkaa laskiissa.

1936, L. G. Terehova, V. G. Erdeli, translated by Mihailov and P. I. Maksimov, Geografia: oppikirja iƶoroin alkușkoulun kolmatta klaassaa vart (ensimäine osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-Pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 7:

on midday it [the Sun] is highest, and then it starts to descend.


a

sala a attender


a

From Old Irish a, from Proto-Celtic *esyo (the final vowel triggering lenition), feminine Proto-Celtic *esyās (the final -s triggering h-prothesis), plural Proto-Celtic *ēsom (the final nasal triggering eclipsis), all from the genitive forms of Proto-Indo-European *éy. Cognate with Welsh ei.

a athair agus a mháthair

Chaill an t-éan a chleití.


a

a hathair agus a máthair

Bhris an mheaig a heiteog.


a

a n-athair agus a máthair

a dtithe

a n-ainmneacha


a

A ghéire a labhair sí!

A fheabhas atá sé!


a

A reduced form of older do (itself a reanalysis of do used in past tenses, and also present in early modern verbs like do-bheirim (“I give”), do-chím (“I see”)), or from the preverb a- in early modern verbs like a-tú (“I am”), a-deirim (“I say”) in relative clauses.

an fear a chuireann síol

an síol a chuireann an fear

an síol a cuireadh

nuair a bhí mé óg

an cat a d'ól an bainne

introduces a direct relative clause, takes the independent form of an irregular verb


a

From Old Irish a (“that, which the relative particle used after prepositions”), reanalyzed as an independent indirect relative particle from forms like ar a (“on which, on whom”), dá (“to which, to whom”), or early modern le a (“with which, with whom”), agá (“at which, at whom”) when prepositional pronouns started to be repeated in such clauses (eg. don té agá mbíon cloidheamh (…) aige, daoine agá mbíonn grádh aco do Dhia). Compare the forms used in Munster instead: go (from agá (“at which”)) and na (from i n-a (“in which”), go n-a (“with which”), ria n-a (“before which”) and later lena (“with which”), tréna (“through which”)).

ar

used with the past tense of regular and some irregular verbs

an bord a raibh leabhar air

an fear a bhfuil a mhac ag imeacht


a

Sin a bhfuil ann.

An bhfuair tú a raibh uait?

Íocfaidh mé as a gceannóidh tú.


a

A Dhia!

A dhuine uasail!

Tar isteach, a Sheáin.
Come in, Seán.

A amadáin!


a

a haon, a dó, a trí...

Séamas a Dó

bus a seacht


a

a (mutation mutation-radical)
n-a (eclipsis mutation)
ha (mutation prothesis-h)

síol a chur

uisce a ól

an rud atá sé a scríobh

D’éirigh sé a chaint.

Téigh a chodladh.


a

A poûpa, a prùa a xì doûto bandere,

1877, Antonio Ive, Canti popolari istriani: raccolti a Rovigno, volume 5, Ermanno Loescher, page 99

At the stern, at the bow everything is flags,


a

A poûpa, a prùa a xì doûto bandere,

emphasises a verb; mandatory with impersonal verbs


a

head

a f or m (invariable, lower case, upper case A)

From Latin ā (the name of the letter A).

The first letter of the Italian alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script.


a

The name of the Latin-script letter A/a.; a


a

→ Norwegian Bokmål: a (learned)

From Latin ad. In a few phrases, a stems from Latin ā, ab.

Porta questo cesto alla nonna.

Ai gatti piacciono i pesci.

(literally, “Fish are pleasable to cats.”)

E lo chiedi a me?

Andiamo a casa?

Ora sto a Palermo, a Roma ci torno domani.

I'm in Palermo now, I'll go back to Rome tomorrow.

Indicates the place, used in some contexts, in others in is used. in, to

appena, a nuoto, a piedi, a caso

a cappella, a bestia, a braccio, a pennello, etc.

Forms adverbs meaning “in a manner related or resembling ~”.

A domani!

A dopo!

Al prossimo Natale!

Forms goodbye formulas from the time the persons will meet again. see you...

pasta all'uovo

cornetto al cioccolato

shampoo al limone

patatine alla pizza

Introduces the ingredients of a dish, perfume, etc. with

Chiama a Paolo.

E non ci avevi visto a noi?

the "us" here is repeated twice for emphasis

Ascolti a me, signó!

(central-southern Italy) Denotes the direct object, but only if it's not preceded by articles

Al ladro!

Al fuoco!

Al lupo!

All'attacco!

All'arrembaggio!

(followed by the definite article) Forms an interjection that gives an instruction or calls attention to something.

che stai a di'?

stavo a dormi'

continuous tense
continuous tense#English

(regional) Forms continuous tense when preceded by stare and followed by verb infinitives. -ing. The standard language for this scope uses gerunds.

a due a due

a poco a poco

Repeated indicates the amount by which something grows. by

L'ho sentito dire a Livia.

(literally, “I heard it said by Livia.”)

Mi duole, creda, sinceramente, veder fare a un uomo come lei, per cui ho tanta stima, una figura... non bella, via! non bella.

c. 1909, Luigi Pirandello, chapter 2.3, in I vecchi e i giovani:

Indicates the agent of a verb in some contexts. by. Sometimes interchangable with da.


a

a mi yaad

Yunaitid Stiet a Amoerka
United States of America

Dem go a maakit. Mi a-go a skuul.

They go to the market. I'm going to school.


a

Jumieka a wahn ailan konchri.

Wi a api.

Mi a di tiicha.

A tuu apruoch tu Ort sayans.

There are two approaches to Earth science.

As a copulative verb:
(with there, or it) to exist.

continuous aspect
continuous aspect#English

Used with present participles of verbs to form the continuous aspect.


a

wan plies we dem a plie haki mach

Jan sidong de a laaf.
Sta Kiet op de-a baal

1968, Beryl Loftman Bailey, Jamaican Creole Language Course: (for English Speaking Students):

John sat there laughing
Sister Kate is up there crying


a

The hiragana syllable あ (a) or the katakana syllable ア (a) in Hepburn romanization.


a

A letter of the Jersey Dutch alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The first letter of the Kabuverdianu alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

a rgaz a


a

Borrowed from Tagalog a. Pronunciation is influenced by English a.

The first letter of the Kankanaey alphabet, called ey and written in the Latin script.


a

Kamán kan adí pinikpík mo? Pinikpík ko a.

2021, Allen, Larry, “a”, in Kankanaey – English Dictionary, Summer Institute of Linguistics:

How come it seems like you didn't pat him? I patted him, all right.


a

Romantiku a bengi.

Pinakapalsintan a tau.

Mayap a abak.

Mayap a bengi.

Dakal a salamat.


a

The Kashubian orthography is based on the Latin alphabet. No earlier script is known. See the Kashubian alphabet article on Wikipedia for more, and a for development of the glyph itself.

csb-ety-letter

The first letter of the Kashubian alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script.


a

and (used to continue a previous statement or to add to it)


a

interjection that expresses various emotions; ah!


a

Nana a doma.


a

Ultimately from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ō. The source is not clear:
* Probably borrowed from a Slavic language (compare Russian а (a) and Belarusian а (a)).
* Alternatively, irregularly shortened from *ā, inherited from *ō.
Compare Lithuanian o.


a

From Ancient Greek Α (A, “alpha”), likely through Etruscan.

littera a

(sometimes with littera) the first letter of the Latin alphabet.


a

Italian: a

→ Norwegian Bokmål: a (learned)

→ Norwegian Bokmål: a (learned)

Alternative form of ab by apocope (not used before a vowel or h).

Gallōs ab Aquītānīs Garumna flūmen, ā Belgīs Matrona et Sēquana dīvidit.
The river Garonne separates the Gauls from the Aquitani; the Marne and the Seine (separate them) from the Belgae.

c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 1.1

(indicating ablation) from, away from, out of

Quamquam philosophiae quidem vituperātōribus satis respōnsum est eō librō, quō ā nōbīs philosophia dēfēnsa et collaudāta est, cum esset accūsāta et vituperāta ab Hortēnsiō.

45 BCE, Cicero, De finibus bonorum et malorum 1.2

Although indeed to the vituperators of philosophy an adequate response is in that book, in which philosophy has been defended and highly praised by us [me], when it had been accused and vituperated by Hortensius.

(indicating agency: source of action or event) by, by means of

(indicating instrumentality: source of action or event) by, by means of, with

Homō sum, hūmānī nihil ā mē aliēnum putō.

163 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Heauton Timorumenos 1.77

I am a man; I consider nothing that is human alien to me.


a

Proposed in 1908 as part of the new Latvian spelling by the scientific commission headed by K. Mīlenbahs, which was accepted and began to be taught in schools in 1909. Prior to that, Latvian had been written in German Fraktur, and sporadically in Cyrillic.

The first letter of the Latvian alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The name of the Latin script letter A/a.


a

The first letter of the Laz alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

Vàddo a câza.

I'm going home. (literally, “I go to home.”)

A mæ seu ghe fa mâ 'n bràsso.

My sister's arm hurts. (literally, “To my sister an arm hurts.”)

indicates the direct object, mainly to avoid confusion when it, the subject, or both are displaced, or for emphasis


a

The first letter of the Livonian alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The first letter of the Lower Sorbian alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script.

The name of the Latin-script letter a/A.


a

The second letter of the Lushootseed alphabet, pronounced as an open back unrounded vowel.


a

The first letter of the Malay alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

A, macam itulah sepatutnya kaujawab!

Used to show excitement or to show agreement.

Dia ni, a, salah seorang Perdana Menteri Britain dulu.

This guy is, er, one of Britain's Prime Ministers in the past.


a

The first letter of the Maltese alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

A m busa

Y a busa


a

expresses satisfaction, pity, fright, or admiration


a

From Proto-Otomi *ʔɔ, from Proto-Otomian *ʔɔ.


a

Dutch: a, Aa

From Old Dutch ā, from Proto-Germanic *ahwō.


a

Alternative form of an (mainly preconsonantal)


a

(Late Middle English) Alternative form of I (“I”)


a

(Northern, Early Middle English) Alternative form of oo (“one”)


a

third-person singular present indicative of avoir


a

The first letter of the Middle Scots alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

With numbers (other than score, hundred, etc)


a

Inherited from Northern Middle English a


a

Alternative form of I (“first-person singular pronoun”)


a

Pwyll Pendeuic Dyuet a oed yn arglwyd ar seith cantref Dyuet.

Pwyll Prince of Dyfed was lord of the seven cantrefs of Dyfed.

inserted before the verb when the subject of direct object precedes it


a

whether, used to introduce an indirect question


a

Pwyll Pendeuic Dyuet

(please add an English translation of this quotation)
it will be small vengeance if we are burnt or put to death because of the child

bychan a dial oed yn lloski ni, neu yn dienydyaw am y mab

used between a focused adjective and the noun it modifies


a

a (mutation mutation-radical)
ha (mutation prothesis-h)

From Proto-Celtic *ageti, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-.

third-person singular present indicative of mynet


a

From Middle High German ein, from Old High German ein, from Proto-West Germanic *ain, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz (“one, a”).


a

a pudun

a nuwawen

a kaiotien aem

[1pers.sing.] [hear+Vn] [your words]
I hear what you said.

a nan imoren

1pers.sing. FUT health+Vn
I shall be cured (get better).


a

a = /a˨/

ą = /ã˨/

á = /a˥/

ą́ = /ã˥/

aa = /aː˨˨/

ąą = /ãː˨˨/

áa = /aː˥˨/

ą́ą = /ãː˥˨/

aá = /aː˨˥/

ąą́ = /ãː˨˥/

áá = /aː˥˥/

ą́ą́ = /ãː˥˥/

The first letter of the Navajo alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

by (introducing the actor in the passive voice)


a

in (locative: staying in a place of relative width)

to (locative: moving towards a place of relative width)


a

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.


a

(Guernsey) third-person singular present indicative of aver


a

(Föhr-Amrum) the (reduced form of de and dön)

While the feminine gender has generally been merged into the neuter

a certain number of traditionally feminine nouns still optionally take the reduced definite article a alongside at.The form 't is enclitic and occurs only after prepositions.


a

Pronunciation of Norwegian Bokmål «A», «a».ogg

NB - Pronunciation of Norwegian Bokmål «a (fransk)».ogg

From Latin a, from Ancient Greek Α (A, “alpha”), likely through the Etruscan language, from Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ), from Proto-Canaanite , from Proto-Sinaitic , from Egyptian 𓃾, representing the head of an ox.

The first letter of the Norwegian Bokmål alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

head

a m (definite singular a-en, indefinite plural a-er, definite plural a-ene)

a-en (definite singular)
a-er (indefinite plural)
a-ene (definite plural)

fra A til B

fra A til Å

har man sagt a, må man si b

bruken av a i bestemt form i hunkjønnsord

1999, Lars Roar Langslet, I kamp for norsk kultur, page 234:

the use of a in the definite form of feminine words

the letter a, the first letter of the Norwegian alphabet

oppgang A

blodgruppe A

førerkort i klasse A

(motorcycle) driver's license in class A

øl i klasse A

beer in class A (with 0,0-0,7 volume percent alcohol)

A post

A-aksje

hepatitt A

[bokstavene begynte] at gaa sammen, to og to: a stod og hvilte under et træ, som hedte b

1919, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Samlede digter-verker I [Collected poetic works 1], page 454:

[the letters began] to go together, two by two: a stood and rested under a tree called b

begynde paa Ø istedet for A

1920, Jonas Lie, Samlede Digterverker V, page 389:

jeg traf sammen med et par generalbanditter, gamle gutter, storartede ranglefanter, 1ste klasse 1 A med stjerne, deilige herremænd

1886, Arne Garborg, Mogning og manndom I, page 172:

I met a couple of general bandits, old boys, great revelers, 1st class 1 A with a star, lovely gentlemen

historie er hvad A mener til forskel fra B, og hvad C igen mener til forskel baade fra A og B om den samme sag

story is what A thinks differently from B and what C again thinks differently from both A and B about the same case

indicates the first or best entry of a list, order or rank

få A til eksamen

jeg har gode karakterer. Bare A-er og B-er

2019, Helene Uri, Stillheten etterpå, page 14:

the highest grade in a school or university using the A-F scale

A-dur

A-moll

synge en riktig A uten hjelp av et instrument eller stemmegaffel

sing a correct A without the aid of an instrument or tuning fork

han slår énstrøken a på klaveret

1973, Finn Havrevold, Avreisen, page 127:

så gal at man virkelig tror at svaler er g-nøkler og bass-nøkler og a’er og c’er som svever rundt hverandre og lager konsert i himmelen

1997, Tove Nilsen, G for Georg, page 42:

so crazy that you really think swallows are g-keys and bass-keys and a's and c's floating around each other and making a concert in the sky

designation of the sixth note from C and the corresponding tone

a-bombe


a

atto-, prefix for 10⁻¹⁸ in the International System of Units.


a

an are, a unit of area one hundredth of a hectare; ares


a

From Latin ā (“from, away from, out of”), alternative form of ab (“from, away from, out of, down from”).

a posteriori, a prima vista, a priori, a tempo, a verbo, a viso, a vista

(used in Latin expressions, before a consonant) from, of


a

a battuta, a cappella, a due, a dato, a konto

(used in Italian expressions, before a consonant) from, of, with


a

From Old Norse hana (“her”), accusative form of hón (“she”), from Proto-Norse [script needed] (*hān-), from a prefixed form of Proto-Germanic *ainaz (“one; some”), from Proto-Indo-European *óynos (“one; single”).

inh

jagu slår a ja. Og det så det kjens. Forleden dag ga hun meg en knallende ørefik

she can certainly punch. And so you feel it. The other day she gave me a popping slap to the ear

hu kunne ikke henge på seg så mye som et enrada perlebånd, uten at a måtte skotte opp i skyene for å høre hva den aller høyeste mente

1989, Bergljot Hobæk Haff, Den guddommelige tragedie:

she could not put on as much as a single string of pearls, without having to shoot up into the clouds to hear what the very highest one meant

(dialectal, used enclitically after a conjunction or subjunction) she

hos Hansens laa dem te klokka var ni, og 10 var a mange ganger ogsaa

at Hansen's they laid until nine o'clock, and 10 she was many times too

hvor ligger a [duskeluen] henne?

1954, Agnar Mykle, Lasso rundt fru Luna, page 476:

hvor er a katta di?

(dialectal, about grammatically feminine animals or objects) it, she

hva gjorde du med a?

jeg [skrev] klaverstykker … en lille scherzo med nordisk motiv … «gjenta» og «Jørgen Matros», som gjør kur til ’a og «Ola Spelman» som hun foretrækker

1847–1868, Halfdan Kjerulf, Av hans efterladte papirer, page 245:

I [wrote] piano pieces… a small scherzo with a Nordic motif… «gjenta» and «Jørgen Matros», which makes cure for her and «Ola Spelman» which she prefers

[klokkeren] skulle da koste paa a amen

1875, Alexander Erbe, Fra skjærgaarden, page 23:

[the clockmaker] would then cost her amen

jeg kan da gjerne skjære litt mat til a

1921, Sigrid Undset, Samlede romaner og fortællinger fra nutiden I, page 6:

han stakk henne med kniven, riktig kylt’n midt i magan på a

1931, Aksel Sandemose, En sjømann går i land, page 19:

he stabbed her with the knife, really threw in the middle of her stomach

flere enn deg i hvert fall, di lørje, svarte jeg og så a midt i aua

more than you at least, you skank, I answered and looked her in the eye

(dialectal, used enclitically) her; object form of hun (=she)

hvis katta stikker av, må du fange a!

if the cat runs away, you need to catch her!

naar kjærka ikke kan holde arbejderne i ave [age], aa faen skal vi saa me’a

1895, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Over Ævne II, page 136:

when the church can not keep the workers in duty, what the hell do we do with her then

(dialectal, about grammatically feminine animals or objects) it, her

ta a Guldborg

1921, Sigrid Undset, Samlede romaner og fortællinger fra nutiden V, page 96:

har du glemt a mamma

1921, Sigrid Undset, Samlede romaner og fortællinger fra nutiden V, page 64:

a Paula kom plystrende hjem

2015, Rudolf Nilsen, Samlede dikt, page 88:

a tante Karen, mor hennes Reidun, hadde ordne med sengeplasser i stua, Booken på en divan og a Rita på flatseng på golvet

2015 December 3, Gerd Nyland, “Fire år uten radio”, in Oppland Arbeiderblad, archived from the original on 2023-01-28:

aunt Karen, her mother Reidun, had arranged beds in the living room, Booken on a daybed and Rita on a flat bed on the floor

(dialectal, used proclitically with a woman's name or female relation) she, her


a

From Danish ah (“oh”), likely from German ach (“oh”), from Middle High German ach, from Old High German ah. Also see ah and akk.

a, for noe tøv!

a, det er bare noe drit til han terracottaen

1888, Herman Colditz, Kjærka, et Atélierinteriør:

oh, that is just some crap for that terracotta guy

a, det gjorde godt!

a, kunde vi bare gi «Fram» slige vinger

1897, Fridtjof Nansen, Fram over Polhavet I, page 345:

oh, if only we could give "Fram" wings like that

a jo, men hold nå fred!

a nej, det kan være det samme

1874, Henrik Ibsen, Fru Inger til Østråt, page 99:

a ja, lad Schirmer tegne staburet

1874-1878, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Brytnings-år I, page 25:

oh yes, let Schirmer draw the storehouse

verden er vakker, bestemor. Selv når det regner og blåser. A ja da.

1988, Arild Nyquist, Giacomettis forunderlige reise:

the world is beautiful, grandma. Even when it's raining and windy. Oh yes.

used with the words yes and no to give a sense of impatience or rejection


a

Mostly likely from Norwegian ad (“against, on”), from Danish ad (“by, at”), from Old Danish at, from Old Norse at (“at, to”), from Proto-Germanic *at (“at, toward, to”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd (“to, at”).

uff a meg!

huff a meg!

expression of anger or sorrow, especially with a personal pronoun


a

The first letter of the Norwegian Nynorsk alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

head

a m (definite singular a-en, indefinite plural a-ar, definite plural a-ane)

a-en (definite singular)
a-ar (indefinite plural)
a-ane (definite plural)


a

From Old Norse af, from Proto-Germanic *ab, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó.

fre a Gud okka far aa Jesu Christo den herræ.

c. 1700, Sigurd Kolsrud, quoting Jacob Rasch, “Eldste nynorske bibeltekst: Jacob Rasch c. 1700”, in Syn og Segn, volume 56, published 1950, page 110:

peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


a

The first letter of the Nupe alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

Mi de eshìgi à, mi ma de dàǹgi à.

I don't have a dog, and I don't have a cat.

not (placed at the end of a clause to negate it)


a

present perfect
serial verb construction
word order

Marks the perfective aspect, for actions that are completed


a

A à lá èbi be nakàn

Used to express the future tense (placed before verbs)


a

Czech: a

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *a, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ō.


a

Czech: a

and (used to continue a previous statement or to add to it)


a

Danish: å

From Old Norse á, from Proto-Germanic *ahwō.


a

Danish: på

From Old Norse á, from Proto-Germanic *ana.


a

first/third-person singular present indicative of ēgha


a

Middle Dutch: â

Dutch: a, Aa


a

From Proto-West Germanic *aiw, from Proto-Germanic *aiwaz (“eternity, age”).


a

The first letter of the Old French alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

desctree

French: à
→ Danish: à
→ Dutch: à
→ German: à
→ Hungarian: à
→ Norwegian Bokmål: à, a
→ Swedish: à

à

not in manuscripts; occasionally used by scholars to differentiate between the preposition and the verb form

fil a putain


a

third-person singular present indicative of avoir


a

Fala: a

Galician: a

Portuguese: a
Indo-Portuguese: a

fugiu con el a Egipto. terra de Reẏ faraon.

13th century CE, Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Códice de los músicos, cantiga 14 ([[http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cantigas/facsimiles/E/080.html] facsimile])

ran away with him to Egypt. land of King pharaoh.


a

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


a

nominative/accusative singular neuter of in


a

Irish: a

Scottish Gaelic: a


a

aí (predicative)
áe (predicative)
in the masculine and neuter singular (triggers-lenition)

Irish: a (“his, her, its, their”)

Scottish Gaelic: a (“his, her, its”); an (“their”)

From Proto-Celtic *esyo (m and n), *esyās (f), and *ēsom (pl), from Proto-Indo-European *ésyo, genitive singular of *ís and *íd; compare Welsh ei (“his, her, its”), eu (“their”); Old High German iro (“their”); and Sanskrit अस्य (asyá, “his, its”), अस्यास् (asyā́s, “her”), and एषाम् (eṣā́m, “their”).


a

Irish: a

Scottish Gaelic: a

From Proto-Celtic *ā (compare Welsh a), from Proto-Indo-European *ō (compare Ancient Greek ὦ (ô), Latin ō).


a

Irish: a

Scottish Gaelic: a

a deich


a

head

a (combined with plural article asnaib, combined with 1st singular possessive determiner asmo, combined with 3rd person possessive determiner assa)

asum (first-person singular)
essiut (second-person singular)
as (dative masculine neuter singular third-person)
ass (dative masculine neuter singular third-person)
es (dative masculine neuter singular third-person)
essi (dative feminine singular third-person)
eissi (dative feminine singular third-person)
esse (dative feminine singular third-person)
essisi (dative emphatic feminine singular third-person)
esib (dative plural third-person)
essib (dative plural third-person)
eissib (dative plural third-person)

Irish: as

Manx: ass

Scottish Gaelic: à

From Proto-Celtic *exs, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs.


a

Polish: a

Silesian: a

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *a. First attested in the first half of 14th century.

etydate

ah! (used when the speaker has remembered or noticed something)


a

Polish: a

Silesian: a

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *a, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ō. First attested in the first half of 14th century.

and then (used to say an event will occur if some requirement is fulfilled)


a

ā (canonical feminine)
ā (indefinite nominative singular)
āin (definite nominative singular)
ā(r) (indefinite nominative plural)
āna (definite nominative plural)
ānar (definite nominative plural)
ā (accusative indefinite singular)
āna (accusative definite singular)
ā(r) (accusative indefinite plural)
āna (accusative definite plural)
ānar (accusative definite plural)
ā (dative indefinite singular)
ānni (dative definite singular)
ām (dative indefinite plural)
āmin (dative definite plural)
-men (dative definite plural)
ā(r) (genitive indefinite singular)
ārinnar (definite genitive singular)
ā (genitive indefinite plural)
ānna (definite genitive plural)

gmq-osw-decl-noun-table

ā (ō-stem)

Swedish: å


a

The first letter of the Oromo alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

From Pre-Palauan *a, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *a.


a

From Pre-Palauan *a, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *a, from Proto-Austronesian *a.


a

The first letter of the Papiamentu alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

Mi a papia kuné.


a

The Polish orthography is based on the Latin alphabet. No earlier script is known. See the history of Polish orthography article on Wikipedia for more, and a for development of the glyph itself.

pl-ety-letter

małe a

duże a

The first letter of the Polish alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

ref

Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “a”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]

samogłoska a

powiedzieć a

zagrać a

zaśpiewać a


a

A ty?

Wolisz tabletki, a ja wolę zastrzyki.

You prefer pills whereas I prefer injections.

walka między dobrem a złem

Poszukasz, a znajdziesz.

pracować a pracować

and (used after a verb to indicate it will last a long time)

such and such (used when the speaker does not want to be more specific, when repeating an element)

is (used to show some connection between two objects which are very different from each other)

Ja jestem gotowy, a ty?


a

From Latin a, form of A, from Etruscan 𐌀 (a), from Ancient Greek Α (A, “alpha”), from Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ, “aleph”), from Egyptian 𓃾.

The first letter of the Portuguese alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

From Old Galician-Portuguese a, from Latin illa (with the disappearance of an initial l; compare Spanish la).

Então, como foi a última festinha de Slughorn?

2005, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince] (Harry Potter; 6), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 219:

So, how was the last Slughorn's little party?

Entregou a foto rasgada, [...]

2007, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e as Relíquias da Morte [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] (Harry Potter; 7), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 147:


a

Encontrei-a na rua.

her, it (as a direct object; as an indirect object, see lhe; after prepositions, see ela)


a

Indo-Portuguese: a

From Old Galician-Portuguese a, from Latin ad (“to”) and ab (“from, away, by”).

Dê-o a mim.

Meu coração pertence a você.

Deixe-me mostrar a você...

2005, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince] (Harry Potter; 6), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 143:

Não é bonito dizer isso a uma pessoa.

2007, J. K. Rowling, translated by Lia Wyler, Harry Potter e as Relíquias da Morte [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] (Harry Potter; 7), Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, →ISBN, page 516:

Vamos a Paris!

A vila fica a onze milhas

Comunicação à distância.

Mataram o cão a pauladas.

They bludgeoned the dog to death. (literally, “they killed the dog with bludgeonings”)

A cavalo.

Livro escrito a lápis.

with; by means of, using as an instrument or means

Quadro pintado a óleo.

Fornalha a carvão.

É mais barato comprar comida ao quilo.

It is cheaper to by food by the kilogram.

Os fracassos ocorrem às dezenas.

pt:in the specified measurement or quantity

by, using the specified measurement; in the specified quantity

Calma lá. Resolva o problema passo a passo.

Easy there. Solve the problem step by step.

(preceded and followed by the same word) by, indicates a steady progression

Ele puxou o temperamento ao pai.

He inherited his temperament from his father.

Camarão à grega.

Dormimos à noite.

O filme começa às duas horas.

(limited use, see usage notes) at, during the specified period

Isto fica à frente do altar.

(rare except in set terms) at; in, indicates a location or position

A mim ele não engana.

He doesn’t deceive me. (literally, “To me he doesn’t deceive.”)

pt:introduces the direct object emphatically

indicates the direct object, mainly to avoid confusion when it, the subject, or both are displaced, or for emphasis

Estou a preparar a canja.

(Portugal, followed by a verb in the infinitive form) forms the present participle

Um trabalho a ser feito.

Nada a fazer.

(followed by an infinitive or present passive) to, forms the future participle


a

A, tudo bem então.


a

From Proto-Polynesian *a. Cognates include Maori a and Tongan ʻa.

the personal article, used before proper nouns


a

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *a. Cognates include Hawaiian ā and Maori ā.


a

verbal suffix for marking benefactive of the V.


a

Alòng èlámò.

Ló webǿng nàí baqòé, ngàí abǿng bakngò lé" wa.

Well, you carry that side, I will carry this side.

A wedø nø bvttut mvjòǃ

Oh, it is absolutely wrong to do (it) that way.


a

third-person singular/plural present indicative of avér (“to have”)


a

Inherited from Latin ad, a (“to, toward”).


a

The first letter of the Romani alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The first letter of the Romanian alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

feminine singular of al (“of”, possessive article)


a

From Latin ad, from Proto-Indo-European *ád (“near; at”).

a fi

(used with infinitive verbs) the infinitive marker: to

(obsolete) at (now almost completely replaced by la)

(used only with a few perception verbs like suna, mirosi, arăta) like, of


a

head

(el/ea) a (modal auxiliary, third-person singular form of avea, used with past participles to form perfect compus tenses)

From Proto-Romanian, from a late Vulgar Latin *ae(t), from Latin habet.

(he/she) has...
A văzut acest film?
Has he/she seen this film?


a

From Latin ac, alternative form of atque (“and, and also; as, then”).

(Nuorese) Only used in che a (“like, as”)

(Campidanese) Only used in tottu a and a tottu

used in the words for the numbers 17 and 19

(Logudorese) Only used in degasette (“seventeen”)

(Campidanese) Only used in dexasetti (“seventeen”) and degannoi (“nineteen”)

(Nuorese) Only used in decassette (“seventeen”) and decannobe (“nineteen”)


a

From Latin ad from Proto-Italic *ad, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd (“near, at”).

a pe' (Logudorese)


a

From Latin aut (“or”), from Proto-Italic *auti, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewti (“on the other hand”), derived from *h₂ew (“away from, off”). Doublet of o.

inh

a benis?

a nos pasamos!

(central Sardinia) Used to introduce a question or an exhortation


a

From Latin ad, from Proto-Italic *ad, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd.

Used to indicate the target or recipient of an action; to, sometimes untranslated

Used with adverbs expressing position or proximity; to, sometimes untranslated


a

The first letter of the Scots alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

From Middle English a, from Old English ān (“one; a; lone; sole”).


a

The first letter of the Scottish Gaelic alphabet, written in the Latin script. It is followed by b. Its traditional name is ailm (“elm”).


a

From Old Irish a, from Proto-Celtic *ā. Cognates include Irish a and Welsh a.

Halò, a Ruairidh.


a

From Old Irish a. Cognates include Irish a.


a

Cuin a chluinneas tu e?

When will you hear it? (literally, “When [is it] that you will hear it?”)


a

A bheil agad a ceithir?

Used before cardinal numbers not succeded by a noun


a

Tha mi a' dol a chadal.

Used to mark the infinitive of a verb; to


a

head

a (+ dative, triggers lenition of consonants and Dh-prothesis of vowels)

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


a

The 1st letter of the Serbo-Croatian Latin alphabet (gajica), followed by b.


a

Učio sam c(ij)elo posl(ij)epodne, a ništa nisam naučio.

I studied for the whole afternoon, but I didn't learn anything.

A kako biste vi to napravili?

Stolovi su crveni, a stolice su zelene.

The tables are red, whereas the chairs are green.

Ne mogu se uključiti u raspravu, a da ne napravim nered.

I cannot enter a discussion without making a mess.

Odlazi, a da nije rekao ni zbogom.

He's leaving without even saying goodbye.

(with da ne) without (usually after negative verbs)

Pravi prijatelj zna sve o tebi, a ipak te voli.

The real friend knows everything about you, and yet he loves you.

U moru loših v(ij)esti teško je ostati objektivan, a kamoli optimističan.

In the sea of bad news it's hard to stay objective, let alone optimistic.

A i da jesam to napravio, ne bi to učinilo neku razliku.

Even if I did it, it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

Sviđaju mi se plavuše, a i ja se pokojoj svidim.

I like blondes, and some of them even like me.

Bili su žalosni, a i ja sam.


a

Attested since the 15th century. Probably of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Slovene a, Russian а (a), Lithuanian õ, Latin ō and Ancient Greek ὦ (ô). These could all derive from Proto-Indo-European interjection *ō (“oh, ah”), but each form in individual languages could easily be an independent, expressive formation.

a da?


a

From Latin ā (the name of the letter A).

The name of the Latin-script letter A/a.; a


a

i (plural)
Definite articles (liquid)
lu

From the lenition of la, from the apheresis of Vulgar Latin *illa, from Latin illam, from illa.

the (feminine singular definite article)


a

A canusci?

Quannu tâ desi.


a

Porta stu panaru â nanna.

Ê jatti ci piàciunu i pisci.

(literally, “Fish are pleasable to cats.”)

E mû dumanni a mìa?

Jemu â casa?

Cchiui staju a Palermu, a Ruma cci tornu dumani.

I'm in Palermo now, I'll go back to Rome tomorrow.

indicates the place, used in some contexts, in others in is used; in, to

a pedi, a muzzu

Chiama a Paulu.

E nun ni vidisti cchiui a nuiautri?

the "us" here is repeated twice for emphasis

Ascutassi a mìa, signù!

denotes the direct object, but only if it's not preceded by articles


a

The Silesian orthography is based on the Latin alphabet. No earlier script is known. See the Silesian language article on Wikipedia for more, and a for development of the glyph itself.

szl-ety-letter

The first letter of the Silesian alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

and (used to continue a previous statement or to add to it)

and then (used to say an event will occur if some requirement is fulfilled)


a

Inherited from Old Polish a, from Proto-Slavic *a.

interjection that expresses various emotions; ah!


a

The first letter of the Skolt Sami alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

From Latin a, form of A, from Etruscan 𐌀 (a), from Ancient Greek Α (A, “alpha”), from Phoenician 𐤀 (ʾ, “aleph”), from Egyptian 𓃾.

The first letter of the Slovak alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

From Gaj's Latin alphabet a, from Czech alphabet a, modification of capital A, itself derived from the Etruscan letter 𐌀 (a), from the Ancient Greek letter Α (A, “alpha”), derived from the Phoenician letter 𐤀 (ʾ, “aleph”), from the Egyptian hieroglyph 𓃾.

The first letter of the Slovene alphabet, written in the Latin script.

The first letter of the Slovene alphabet (Resian), written in the Latin script.

The first letter of the Slovene alphabet (Natisone Valley dialect), written in the Latin script.


a

(SNPT) Phonetic transcription of sound [a].


a

ā (canonical inanimate masculine)
please help by adding the tonal marks.
ā (nominative singular)
ā-ja (dual nominative)
ā-ji (nominative plural)
ā-ja (genitive singular)
ā-jev (dual genitive)
ā-jev (genitive plural)
ā-ju (dative singular)
ā-jema (dative dual)
ā-jem (dative plural)
ā (accusative singular)
ā-ja (accusative dual)
ā-je (accusative plural)
ā-ju (locative singular)
ā-jih (dual locative)
ā-jih (locative plural)
ā-jem (instrumental singular)
ā-jema (dual instrumental)
ā-ji (instrumental plural)
ā (nominative singular)
ā (dual nominative)
ā (nominative plural)
ā (accusative singular)
ā (accusative dual)
ā (accusative plural)
ā (genitive singular)
ā (dual genitive)
ā (genitive plural)
ā (dative singular)
ā (dative dual)
ā (dative plural)
ā (locative singular)
ā (dual locative)
ā (locative plural)
ā (instrumental singular)
ā (dual instrumental)
ā (instrumental plural)

Masculine inan., no endings

The name of the Latin script letter A / a.


a

Attested since the 18th century. Probably of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Serbo-Croatian a, Russian а (a), Lithuanian õ, Latin ō and Ancient Greek ὦ (ô). These could all derive from Proto-Indo-European interjection *ō (“oh, ah”), but each form in individual languages could easily be an independent, expressive formation.

Tega nisi pričakoval, a?

Used at the end of a sentence for confirmation, similarly to 'didn't I' in English.


a

From Proto-Slavic *a, from Proto-Indo-European *ō̃t, which is ablative form of Proto-Indo-European *e- 'this'. Cognates with Serbo-Croatian a, Russian а (a) and Czech a.


a

contracted form of ali, particle used to form a yes- no question.


a

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *a (“and; but”).


a

The first letter of the Spanish alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

Tenía en su casa una ama que pasaba de los cuarenta y una sobrina que no llegaba a los veinte, y un mozo de campo y plaza que así ensillaba el rocín como tomaba la podadera.

1605, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quijote de la Mancha¹, Chapter I

He had in his house a housekeeper past forty, a niece under twenty, and a lad for the field and market-place, who used to saddle the hack as well as handle the billhook.

Lo busca a usted.

Used before words referring to people, pets, or personified objects or places that function as direct objects: personal a.


a

Odi mijn heer hoe fa joe tan gran tanki fo myn heer a komi ja fo loeke da pranasie wan trom.

ca. 1765, Pieter van Dyk, Nieuwe en nooit bevoorens geziene Onderwyzinge in het Bastert, of Neeger Engels, zoo als het zelve in de Hollandsze Colonien gebruikt word [New and unprecedented instruction in Bastard or Negro English, as it is used in the Dutch colonies], Frankfurt/Madrid: Iberoamericana, retrieved 2021-03-20:

Good day, Sir, how are you? Many thanks to Sir, (that) he has come here to look at the plantation on this occasion.


a

(copula) to be (used with a noun phrase as complement)


a

-a (canonical)
wa (singular)
wa (plural)
ya (plural)
la (singular)
cha (singular)
vya (plural)
ya (singular)
za (plural)
pa (singular)
kwa (singular)
mwa (singular)

kitabu cha mtoto

kiini cha yai

كِطَّمْسِكِزَ گَوُجُهَّالِ ، نُرُ نَمِيَاغَ اِتَظَلَالِ

18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi, stanza 9:

Brightness and lights will overcome the shadow and darkness of ignorance

Kiṭamsi-kiza cha-ujuhali, nuru na-mianga itaẓalali

The genitive particle; adjectival particle; of


a

from (very formal, seldom used outside written formal texts.)


a

The first letter of the Swedish alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

tl-letter

a (lower case, upper case A, Baybayin spelling ᜁᜌ᜔)

Borrowed from Spanish a. Each pronunciation has a different source:
* Filipino alphabet pronunciation is influenced by English a.
* Abakada alphabet pronunciation is influenced by Baybayin character ᜀ (a).
* Abecedario pronunciation is from Spanish a.

The first letter of the Tagalog alphabet (the Filipino alphabet), called ey and written in the Latin script.


a

a (lower case, upper case A, Baybayin spelling ᜀ)

The first letter of the Tagalog alphabet (the Abakada alphabet), called a and written in the Latin script.

(historical) The first letter of the Tagalog alphabet (the Abecedario), called a and written in the Latin script.


a

the name of the Latin-script letter A/a, in the Abakada alphabet

(historical) the name of the Latin-script letter A/a, in the Abecedario


a

A! Kailan namatay ang iyong ina?

ah: an exclamation of pity, admiration or surprise

oh (expression of understanding or realization)


a

Alternative form of ha (sentence-ending particle)


a

Chin a.

Mừa a.

Chư̱ a.


a

From Proto-Tai *ʔaːᴬ (“father's younger sister”). Cognate with Lao ອາ (ʼā), Thai อา (aa).

inh

me̱ a

pi noọng lục áo lục dé, lục me̱ a lục po̱ khủ

first cousins (literally, “brothers [who are] children of uncles and aunts”)

a noọng

younger sister (in relation to a brother)


a

God, Bikpela i bin wokim olgeta animal, tasol i no gat wanpela bilong ol inap winim snek long tok gris. Na snek i askim meri olsem, “Ating God i tambuim yutupela long kaikai pikinini bilong olgeta diwai bilong gaden, a?”

1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:1:


a

From Proto-Polynesian *a. Cognates include Maori a and Tuvaluan a.

a personal article, used after the prepositions i and ki and before personal names or names of months


a

From Proto-Polynesian *qa. Cognates include Hawaiian a and Samoan a.


a

-a (canonical)
wa (indefinite singular)
ba (indefinite plural)
owa (definite singular)
aba (definite plural)
gwa (indefinite singular)
ya (indefinite plural)
ogwa (definite singular)
eya (definite plural)
lya (indefinite singular)
ga (indefinite plural)
erya (definite singular)
aga (definite plural)
kya (indefinite singular)
bya (indefinite plural)
ekya (definite singular)
ebya (definite plural)
ya (indefinite singular)
za (indefinite plural)
eya (definite singular)
eza (definite plural)
rwa (indefinite singular)
orwa (definite singular)
ka (indefinite singular)
bwa (indefinite plural)
aka (definite singular)
obwa (definite plural)
twa (indefinite plural)
otwa (definite plural)
bwa (indefinite singular)
obwa (definite singular)
kwa (indefinite singular)
okwa (definite singular)
ha (class-16 indefinite singular)
aha (class-16 definite singular)
mwa (class-18 indefinite singular)
omwa (class-18 definite singular)


a

The first letter of the Turkish alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The name of the Latin script letter A/a.


a

The first letter of the Turkmen alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

The first letter of the Tyap alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

you (2nd person subject singular personal pronoun)


a

he/she (3rd person singular personal pronoun)


a

they (indefinite) (3rd person plural personal pronoun)


a

starši a mudriši

dlěje a hórje

the (establishing a parallel between two comparatives)


a

The first letter of the Vietnamese alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script.


a

The name of the Latin-script letter A/a.


a

rèn một lưỡi a bằng ba lưỡi hái

a cutting tool consisting of two blades inserted into a long handle to cut grass or to harvest rice


a

a vào giật cho bằng được


a

(slang, Internet, text messaging) Abbreviation of anh.


a

Bây giờ mới đi a?

Thật thế a?

(rare) Used to indicate a question that is asked out of perplexity or sarcasm.


a

A mẹ đã về!

A, mình nhớ ra rồi!

An expression of happiness, surprise or of a sudden remembrance of something.


a

a del

a tel


a

The first letter of the Votic alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

but (Following a negative clause or sentence) On the contrary, but rather

However, although, nevertheless, on the other hand


a

A (uppercase)
afal (mutation mutation-radical)
hafal (mutation prothesis-h)

The first letter of the Welsh alphabet, called a and written in the Latin script. It is followed by b.

à

with grave accent to indicate otherwise unpredictable short vowel

á

with acute accent to indicate unusually stressed short vowel

â

with circumflex to indicate otherwise unpredictable or unusually stressed long vowel

ä

with diaeresis to indicate disyllabicity


a

âu (plural)
a (mutation mutation-radical)
ha (mutation prothesis-h)


a

(colloquial) first-person singular future of mynd


a

From Old Welsh a(c), from Proto-Brythonic *(h)a, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd-gʰe (compare Welsh ag and Cornish ha).


a

Y dyn a welais i

(relative) that, which, who (used in 'direct' relative clauses, i.e. where the pronoun refers to the subject or the direct object of an inflected verb (as opposed to a periphrastic construction with bod, to be)).


a

tia (first-person singular)
mia (first-person inclusive plural)
aa (exclusive first-person plural)
nia (second-person singular)
fia (plural second-person)
ia (inanimate singular third-person)
dia (inanimate plural third-person)
maa (animate singular third-person)
dia (animate plural third-person)


a

tia (first-person singular)
mia (first-person inclusive plural)
aa (exclusive first-person plural)
nia (second-person singular)
fia (plural second-person)
ia (inanimate singular third-person)
dia (inanimate plural third-person)
ia (animate singular third-person)
dia (animate plural third-person)
nia (imperative singular)
a (imperative singular)
fia (imperative plural)
a (imperative plural)

(transitive) Alternative form of am (“to eat”)


a

The digraph ⟨aa⟩ transcribes the long vowel

The digraph ⟨꞉a⟩ transcribes the nasal vowel

The trigraph ⟨꞉aa⟩ transcribes the long nasal vowel


a

From Middle English þe, from Old English þe.

Maade a nicest coolecannan that e'er ye did zee.

1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 3, page 94:

Made the nicest coolecannan that ever you did see.

A vursth stroke hea strooke

1867, “SONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 4, page 108:

If ich hadh Peeougheen a Buch, Meyleare a Slut, Peedher Ghiel-laaune, an Jackeen Bugaaune,

1867, “JAMEEN QOUGEELY EE-PEALTHE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 110, lines 5-6:

If I had Hugh the Buck, Meyler the Sloven, Peter the Smart Man, and John Boggan,


a

From Middle English a, an, from Old English ān (“one; a; lone; sole”).

A chi of barach.

1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 30:


a

Aar's dhurth a heighe.

1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 35:

Yer name var zetch avancet avare ye, e'en a dicke var hye, arent whilke ye brine o'zea an ye craggès o'noghanes cazed nae balke.

1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 116, lines 4-6:

Your fame for such came before you even into this retired spot, to which neither the waters of the sea below nor the mountains above caused any impediment.


a

A war cowdealeen wi ooree.

1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 32:


a

Nich th' hia thoras a Culpake.


a

The first letter of the Yoruba alphabet, called á and written in the Latin script.


a

Likely a clipping of àwa (“we (emphatic pronoun)”)

clipping

Ó yẹ kí a dọ̀bálẹ̀ fún áwọn àgbàlagbà tí a máa ń pàdé.

It's necessary that we prostrate for elders that we meet.

A à tí ì rí wọn lónìí, ṣùgbọ́n a máa lọ sí báńkì lọ́la láti bá wọn sọ̀rọ̀.

We haven't seen them yet today, but we'll go to the bank tomorrow to talk to them.

we (first-person plural personal subject pronoun)


a

Àá bá a sọ̀rọ̀ l'ọ́sẹ̀ t'ó ń bọ̀.

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /a/)


a

Wọ́n ti pa á o!

Ǹj'ó o kà á?

him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /a/)


a

The first letter of the Zazaki alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

𮬨 (Sawndip)
鵶 (Sawndip)
⿰下鳥 (Sawndip)
蚜 (Sawndip)


a

The first letter of the Zulu alphabet, written in the Latin script.


a

East Slavic:

desctree

Old East Slavic: а (a)
Old Ruthenian: а (a)
Belarusian: а (a)
Carpathian Rusyn: а (a)
Ukrainian: а (a)
Russian: а (a) (see there for further descendants)

Old Novgorodian: а (a)

South Slavic:

Old Church Slavonic:

Old Cyrillic script: а (a)

Glagolitic script: ⰰ (a)

Macedonian: а (a)

Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: а

Latin script: a

Slovene: a

West Slavic:

Old Czech: a
Czech: a

Old Polish: a
Polish: a
Silesian: a

Polabian: ă

Slovak: a

Pomeranian:

Kashubian: a

Slovincian: a

Sorbian:

Upper Sorbian: a

Lower Sorbian: a

From Proto-Balto-Slavic *ō. According to the usual doctrine, the initial form was *h₁ōd, ablative singular of the PIE demonstrative pronoun *éy, h₁e. However, that demonstrative has no such ablative singular attested in any of the daughter languages, so that hypothesis remains unprovable.
The same PIE proto-form could have also yielded Sanskrit आत् (ā́t, “so, then, afterwards”) and Avestan 𐬁𐬀𐬝 (āat̰, “afterwards, then”).


a

East Slavic:

South Slavic:

Old Church Slavonic:

Old Cyrillic script: а (a)

Glagolitic script: ⰰ (a)

Bulgarian: а (a)

Macedonian: а (a)

Serbo-Croatian:

Cyrillic script: а

Latin script: a

Slovene: a

West Slavic:

Old Czech: a
Czech: a

Old Polish: a
Polish: a
Silesian: a

Pomeranian:

Kashubian: a

Slovincian: a

Slovak: a

Sorbian:

Upper Sorbian: a

Lower Sorbian: a

Inherited from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ā, from Proto-Indo-European *ā, ultimately a natural expression. Compare Lithuanian à, Latin ā, Ancient Greek ἆ (â), Sanskrit अ (a). Although the Proto-Indo-European form is reconstructed, this interjection could arise at any stage.

onomatopoeic

natural expression

Used to express emotions like surprise, pain, displeasure, disapproval; ah!


a

Old Japanese: 吾 (a, are)

Japanese: 吾 (a, are)

Proto-Ryukyuan: *a (see there for further descendants)


a

Old Japanese: 畔 (a)

⇒ Japanese: 畔 (aze)

⇒ Proto-Ryukyuan: *abusi


a

Northern Ryukyuan:

Kunigami: 吾 (a)

Northern Ryukyuan:

Miyako:

Minna: 吾 (a)