а

See also: А and Appendix:Variations of "a"

а U+0430, а CYRILLIC SMALL LETTER A ← Я [U+042F] Cyrillic б → [U+0431]

Translingual

Cyrillic letter А а (A a), normal above, italics below.

Handwritten forms

Etymology

From early Cyrillic letter azǔ, created in the tenth century from Greek α (a, “alpha”).

Letter

а (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of several Cyrillic alphabets.

Related terms

• a (Latin alphabet)

See also

• Appendix:Alphabets#Cyrillic alphabets
• Entries in the English Wiktionary beginning with а
• Wikipedia article on the Cyrillic alphabet

---

Adyghe

Alternative forms

• ӏа (ʾā)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ʔaː]

• Audio

  (file)

Determiner

а • (ā)

1. that, Calling article (o)

   а бэнанэ ― ā bănānă ― that banana

   а пшъашъэ ― ā pŝāŝă ― that girl

   а кӏалэм еӏуэ ― ā č̣̍ālăm eʾ°ă ― that boy is saying

Letter

а • (ā) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Adyghe Cyrillic alphabet.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (Ā ā), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (Ɣ ɣ), Гу гу (G° g°), Гъ гъ (Ġ ġ), Гъу гъу (Ġ° ġ°), Д д (D d), Дж дж (Ǯ̍ ǯ̍), Дз дз (Ʒ ʒ), Дзу дзу (Ʒ° ʒ°), Е е (E e), Ё ё (Ë ë), Ж ж (Ž ž), Жъ жъ (Ẑ ẑ), Жъу жъу (Ẑ° ẑ°), Жь жь (Ž̍ ž̍), З з (Z z), И и (I i), Й й (J j), К к (K k), Ку ку (K° k°), Къ къ (Q q), Къу къу (Q° q°), Кӏ кӏ (Č̣̍ č̣̍), Кӏу кӏу (Ḳ° ḳ°), Л л (L l), Лъ лъ (Ł ł), Лӏ лӏ (Ḷ ḷ), М м (M m), Н н (N n), О о (O o), П п (P p), Пӏ пӏ (Ṗ ṗ), Пӏу пӏу (Ṗ° ṗ°), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), Тӏ тӏ (Ṭ ṭ), Тӏу тӏу (Ṭ° ṭ°), У у (W w), Ф ф (F f), Х х (X x), Хъ хъ (Χ χ), Хъу хъу (Χ° χ°), Хь хь (Ḥ ḥ), Ц ц (C c), Цу цу (C° c°), Цӏ цӏ (C̣ c̣), Ч ч (Č č), Чӏ чӏ (Č̣ č̣), Чъ чъ (Č č), Ш ш (Š š), Шъ шъ (Ŝ ŝ), Шъу шъу (Ŝ° ŝ°), Шӏ шӏ (Ṣ̂ ṣ̂), Шӏу шӏу (Ṣ̂° ṣ̂°), Щ щ (Š̍ š̍), Ъ ъ (” ”), Ы ы (Ə ə), Ь ь (’ ’), Э э (Ă ă), Ю ю (Ju ju), Я я (Jā jā), ӏ (ʾ), ӏу (ʾ°)

---

Bulgarian

Pronunciation 1

• IPA^(key): /a/

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet. It is followed by the letter б (b).

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (A a), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (G g), Д д (D d), Е е (E e), Ж ж (Ž ž), З з (Z z), И и (I i) (Ѝ ѝ (Ѝ ì)), Й й (J j), К к (K k), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), О о (O o), П п (P p), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), У у (U u), Ф ф (F f), Х х (H h), Ц ц (C c), Ч ч (Č č), Ш ш (Š š), Щ щ (Št št), Ъ ъ (Ǎ ǎ), Ь ь (ʹ ʹ), Ю ю (Ju ju), Я я (Ja ja)

Particle

а • (a)

1. used in orders for emphasis: let’s, just

   А върви де! ― A vǎrvi de! ― Come on, go ahead!

   А да идем на кино. ― A da idem na kino. ― Let’s go to the pictures.

   А удари ме, ако смееш. ― A udari me, ako smeeš. ― Just you hit me, if you dare.

   Кажи де, а кажи! ― Kaži de, a kaži! ― Speak up, do!

2. just, about to, on the point of, almost

   разперила криле, а-а да хвръкне ― razperila krile, a-a da hvrǎkne ― with wings spread out, about to fly off

Interjection

а • (a)

1. used to express surprise or wonder: ah, oh, ha, why

   А, ето къде си бил! ― A, eto kǎde si bil! ― Ah, there you are!

   А, значи ти хареса. ― A, znači ti haresa. ― Oh, so you liked it.

   А! Не те видях. ― A! Ne te vidjah. ― Oh! I didn't see you there.

   А, Джейн, ти ли си! ― A, Džejn, ti li si! ― Why Jane, it's you!

2. used to express pleasure, relief: ah

   А, пролетните цветя. ― A, proletnite cvetja. ― Ah, the flowers of spring.

   А, спомням си старите времена. ― A, spomnjam si starite vremena. ― Ah, I remember the good old days.

3. used when you are not certain about something and you would like confirmation: eh, well, right, or translated with a tag question

   Хареса ти, а? ― Haresa ti, a? ― So, you liked it, eh/did you?

   Утре заминаваш, а? ― Utre zaminavaš, a? ― You're leaving tomorrow, right?

4. (colloquial) used to indicate that one did not hear what was said: eh, huh

   ‘Не съм гладен.’ ‘А?’ ‘Казах, че не съм гладен.’ ― ‘Ne sǎm gladen.’ ‘A?’ ‘Kazah, če ne sǎm gladen.’ ― ‘I'm not hungry.’ ‘Eh?’ ‘I said I'm not hungry.’

   А? Какво каза? ― A? Kakvo kaza? ― Huh? What did you say?

5. used to express understanding, recognition, or realization: oh

   А, значи така работело. ― A, znači taka rabotelo. ― Oh, so that's how it works.

   А, сега ми дойде наум! ― A, sega mi dojde naum! ― Oh, I’ve just thought of it.

   А, да, сетих се! ― A, da, setih se! ― Oh, yes, I remember.

6. used to express displeasure, objection

   Изпуснал влака … ама работа, а! ― Izpusnal vlaka … ama rabota, a! ― So he missed the train … what a damned nuisance!

   А, той ще ми каже! ― A, toj šte mi kaže! ― He's not the one to tell me!

   Ще ми се плезиш, а! ― Šte mi se pleziš, a! ― Don't stick out your tongue at me!

7. used to express criticism or disapproval: now

   А-а, така не може! ― A-a, taka ne može! ― Now, this sort of thing can’t go on/won’t do!

   А, Били, така не се говори на майка си! ― A, Bili, taka ne se govori na majka si! ― Now, Billy, that's no way to talk to your mother!

Pronunciation 2

• (stressed) IPA^(key): /a/
• (unstressed) IPA^(key): /ɐ/, /ə/

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. used to describe how two facts are different: whereas, while

   Мислехме си, че е арогантна, а всъщност просто беше много срамежлива. ― Mislehme si, če e arogantna, a vsǎštnost prosto beše mnogo sramežliva. ― We thought she was arrogant, whereas in fact she was just very shy.

   Той има кафяви очи, а децата му имат зелени очи. ― Toj ima kafjavi oči, a decata mu imat zeleni oči. ― He has brown eyes whereas his children have green eyes.

   Едни се раждат, а други умират. ― Edni se raždat, a drugi umirat. ― Some are born while others die.

2. used to introduce an idea that is different or opposite to the idea that is desired, expected or that you have stated previously: but, yet, rather

   Не музиката не харесвам, а самата банда. ― Ne muzikata ne haresvam, a samata banda. ― It's not the music I don't like but (rather) the band themselves.

   Тя получи повишението не заради късмет, а с усърдна работа. ― Tja poluči povišenieto ne zaradi kǎsmet, a s usǎrdna rabota. ― She got the promotion not by luck but by hard work.

   Стените не бяха бели, а по-скоро мръсно сиви. ― Stenite ne bjaha beli, a po-skoro mrǎsno sivi. ― The walls were not white, but rather a sort of dirty grey.

   Той има добра работа, а като че ли никога няма пари. ― Toj ima dobra rabota, a kato če li nikoga njama pari. ― He has a good job, and yet he never seems to have any money.

   Мислех си, че те познавам, а колко съм грешал. ― Misleh si, če te poznavam, a kolko sǎm grešal. ― I thought I knew you, yet how wrong I was.

   Видях го вчера, а не днес. ― Vidjah go včera, a ne dnes. ― I saw him yesterday, not today.

3. used to start a new sentence or clause that continues or adds to a previous sentence or clause: and

   Минаха години и всичко се промени. А той все още не се завръщаше. ― Minaha godini i vsičko se promeni. A toj vse ošte ne se zavrǎštaše. ― Years passed and everything changed. And he still hadn't come back.

Synonyms

• но (no), ала (ala), ама (ama)

See also

• а... а... (a... a...)

---

Chechen

Etymology

Compare Ingush а (a).

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and

See also

• и (i)

---

Ingush

Etymology

Compare Chechen а (a).

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and

---

Macedonian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and, whereas

Interjection

а • (a)

1. oh
2. huh?

Particle

а • (a)

1. what about

   А јас? ― A jas? ― What about me?

---

Nivkh

Letter

а (a) (upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Nivkh alphabet.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (A a), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (G g), Ӷ ӷ ( ), Ғ ғ (Ꜧ ꜧ), Ӻ ӻ (Ꜧ̇ ꜧ̇), Д д (D d), Е е (Je je), Ё ё (Jo jo), Ж ж (ž ž), З з (Z z), И и (I i), Й й (J j), К к (K k), К’ к’ (Kʼ kʼ), Ӄ ӄ (Q q), Ӄ’ ӄ’ (Qʼ qʼ), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), Ӈ ӈ (Ŋ ŋ), О о (O o), П п (P p), П’ п’ (Pʼ pʼ), Р р (R r), Р̌ р̌ (Ř ř), С с (S s), Т т (T t), Т’ т’ (Tʼ tʼ), У у (U u), Ф ф (F f), Х х (X x), Ӽ ӽ (Ẋ ẋ), Ӿ ӿ (H h), Ц ц (C c), Ч ч (Ț’ ț’), Ч’ ч’ (Ț’ʼ ț’ʼ), Ш ш (Š š), Щ щ (Šč šč), Ъ ъ (ʺ ʺ), Ы ы (Ə ə), Ь ь (’ j), Э э (E e), Ю ю (Ju ju), Я я (Ja ja)

---

Old Church Slavonic

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and
2. but

---

Old East Slavic

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction

а (a)

1. but, and

---

Old Novgorodian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction

а (a)

1. but, and

References

• J. Schaeken et al. Birchbark Literacy from Medieval Rus: Contents and Contexts (INTAS-Project Ref. Nr. 03-51-3867).

---

Ossetian

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /a/

Letter

а • (a) (upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Ossetian alphabet.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (A a), Ӕ ӕ (Æ æ), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (G g), Гъ гъ (Ǧ ǧ), Д д (D d), Дж дж (Ǵ ǵ), Дз дз (Ʒ ʒ), Е е (E e), З з (Z z), И и (I i), Й й (J j), К к (K k), Къ къ (K’ k’), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), О о (O o), П п (P p), Пъ пъ (P’ p’), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), Тъ тъ (Tʺ t’), У у (U u), Ф ф (F f), Х х (X x), Хъ хъ (Q q), Ц ц (C c), Цъ цъ (C’ c’), Ч ч (Ḱ ḱ), Чъ чъ (Ḱ’ ḱ’), Ы ы (Y y)

---

Russian

Etymology 1

See Translingual section.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Russian Cyrillic alphabet. It is followed by the letter б (b).
2. The name of the Roman letter A, a in Russian.

Usage notes

The Russian name for а (a) is а (ā), and in stressed syllables it has the sound of the long a in father. In unstressed positions, it is pronounced as a schwa, like the o in mother. (Unstressed Russian а (a) is pronounced the same as unstressed Russian о (o).)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *a (“and, but”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ō, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ōd (presumed to be the ablative of *éy, h₁e). Cognate with Lithuanian õ (“and, but”).

Possible link with Lithuanian ar̃ (“question particle”). Compare Russian а (a, “and, but”), и (i, “and”) and да (da, “and, but”) with Lithuanian ar̃ (“if, whether”), ir̃ (“and”) and dár (“still, yet”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (stressed)

  (file)

• (stressed) IPA^(key): [a]
• (unstressed) IPA^(key): [ə]
• (unstressed, pre-tonal) IPA^(key): [ɐ]

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. but, and (introduces a new or different meaning).

   Сего́дня тепло́, а вчера́ бы́ло хо́лодно ― Sevódnja tepló, a včerá býlo xólodno ― It is warm today, but yesterday it was cold.

   Э́то не я́блоко, а гру́ша ― Éto ne jábloko, a grúša ― This is not an apple, but a pear.

   А что? ― A što? ― Why so?

   а то ― a to ― or else

See also

• а ве́дь (a védʹ)
• а и́менно (a ímenno)
• а то́ (a tó)

Etymology 3

Compare Lithuanian à, õ, oà (“expression of pain, surprise”), as well as Gothic 𐍉 (ō, “ah!”), Latin ā, āh (“expression of pain, anger”), Ancient Greek ἆ (â, “ah!”)

Alternative forms

• аа (aa), а-а (a-a)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

• Audio

  (file)

Interjection

а • (a)!

1. well! (expressing surprise)

Particle

а • (a)

1. (colloquial particle used to seek confirmation) eh

   Ты слы́шишь меня́, а? ― Ty slýšišʹ menjá, a? ― Do you hear me, eh?

   Ты придёшь сего́дня, а? ― Ty pridjóšʹ sevódnja, a? ― So are you coming today, then?

Etymology 4

Abbreviation of ампе́р (ampér).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɐm⁽ʲ⁾ˈpʲer] (phonetic respelling: ампе́р)

Noun

а • (a) m inan (indeclinable)

1. A, amp, ampere

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

• Audio

  (file)

Pronoun

а • (a) (invariable)

1. (criminal slang) he, she or it (used to point to a particular person)

References

• Viktor Pirožkov (2001), Kriminalʹnaja Psixologija [Criminal Psychology], Moscow: Os-89

---

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Etymology 1

See Translingual section.

Alternative forms

• (uppercase): А

Letter

а (Latin spelling a)

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

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а, Б б, В в, Г г, Д д, Ђ ђ, Е е, Ж ж, З з, И и, Ј ј, К к, Л л, Љ љ, М м, Н н, Њ њ, О о, П п, Р р, С с, Т т, Ћ ћ, У у, Ф ф, Х х, Ц ц, Ч ч, Џ џ, Ш ш

Etymology 2

From Proto-Slavic *a (“and, but”), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *ō.

Conjunction

а (Latin spelling a)

1. but, and (compare а̏ли)

   учио сам ц(иј)ело посл(иј)еподне, а ништа нисам научио ― I studied for the whole afternoon, but I didn't learn anything

   а како бисте ви то направили? ― and how would you do that?

2. while (on the contrary), whereas

   столови су црвени, а столице су зелене ― the tables are red, whereas the chairs are green

3. (with да не) without (usually after negative verbs)

   не могу се укључити у расправу, а да не направим неред ― I cannot enter a discussion without making a mess

   одлази, а да није рекао ни збогом ― he's leaving without even saying goodbye

4. (а и̏па̄к) and yet

   прави пријатељ зна све о теби, а ипак те воли ― the real friend knows everything about you, and yet he loves you

5. (а ка̏моли) not to mention, let alone

   у мору лоших в(иј)ести тешко је остати објективан, а камоли оптимистичан ― in the sea of bad news it's hard to stay objective, let alone optimistic

6. (а + и + да) even if

   а и да јесам то направио, не би то учинило неку разлику ― even if I did it, it wouldn't have made much of a difference

7. (а + и) and so, and also, and too

   свиђају ми се плавуше, а и ја се покојој свидим ― I like blondes, and some of them even like me

   били су жалосни, а и ја сам ― they were sad, and so am I

Etymology 3

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.

Interjection

а (Latin spelling a)

1. oh, ah

   а да? ― oh really?

References

• “а”, in Hrvatski jezični portal, 2006–2018
• “а”, in Hrvatski jezični portal, 2006–2018
• Skok, Petar (1971) Etimologijski rječnik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika (in Serbo-Croatian), volume 1, Zagreb: JAZU, page 1

---

Ukrainian

Etymology

See Translingual section.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɑ]

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet. It is followed by the letter б (b).

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (A a), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (H h), Ґ ґ (G g), Д д (D d), Е е (E e), Є є (Je je), Ж ж (Ž ž), З з (Z z), И и (Y y), І і (I i), Ї ї (Ji ji), Й й (J j), К к (K k), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), О о (O o), П п (P p), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), У у (U u), Ф ф (F f), Х х (X x), Ц ц (C c), Ч ч (Č č), Ш ш (Š š), Щ щ (Šč šč), Ь ь (ʹ ʹ), Ю ю (Ju ju), Я я (Ja ja)

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and, and yet, but

   Не він, а вона ― Ne vin, a vona ― Not he, but she.

Particle

а • (a)

1. interrogative particle: introduces a question

   А то для чого? ― A to dlja čoho? ― And why so?

   А як же? ― A jak že? ― But how?, By what means?

Interjection

а • (a)!

1. ah!, oh!, oh well