а

See also: А, а-, -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)

See also

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

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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 alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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°)

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Bashkir

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ɑ/

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Bashkir alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) хәреф (xäref); А а (A a), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (G g), Ғ ғ (Ğ ğ), Д д (D d), Ҙ ҙ (Đ ð), Е е (Ye ye), Ё ё (Yo yo), Ж ж (Ž ž), З з (Z z), И и (I i), Й й (Y y), К к (K k), Ҡ ҡ (Q q), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), Ң ң (Ñ ñ), О о (O o), Ө ө (Ö ö), П п (P p), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Ҫ ҫ (Θ θ), Т т (T t), У у (U u), Ү ү (Ü ü), Ф ф (F f), Х х (X x), Һ һ (H h), Ц ц (Ts ts), Ч ч (Č č), Ш ш (Š š), Щ щ (Šč šč), Ъ ъ (ʺ ʺ), Ы ы (Ï ï), Ь ь (’ ’), Э э (E e), Ә ә (Ä ä), Ю ю (Yu yu), Я я (Ya ya)

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Belarusian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Belarusian alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (A a), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (H h), Д д (D d), Е е (Je je), Ё ё (Jo jo), Ж ж (Ž ž), З з (Z z), І і (I i), 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), Ў ў (Ŭ ŭ), Ф ф (F f), Х х (X x), Ц ц (C c), Ч ч (Č č), Ш ш (Š š), Ы ы (Y y), Ь ь (ʹ ʹ), Э э (E e), Ю ю (Ju ju), Я я (Ja ja)

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Bulgarian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

Etymology 2

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Bulgarian alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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 (Ì 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)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

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!

Etymology 3

From Proto-Slavic *a (“and, but”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (stressed) [a], (unstressed) [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...)

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Chechen

Etymology

Compare Ingush а (a).

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and

See also

• и (i)

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Ingush

Etymology

Compare Chechen а (a).

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and

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Kazakh

Cyrillic	а (a)
Arabic	ا‎
Latin	{{{3}}}

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ɑ/

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Kazakh alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

Interjection

а • (a)

1. ah (expression of surprise)

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (A a), Ә ә (Ä ä), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (G g), Ғ ғ (Ğ ğ), Д д (D d), Е е (E e), Ё ё (E e), Ж ж (J j), З з (Z z), И и (I i), Й й (İ i), К к (K k), Қ қ (Q q), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), Ң ң (Ñ ñ), О о (O o), Ө ө (Ö ö), П п (P p), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), У у (U u), Ұ ұ (U u), Ү ү (Ü ü), Ф ф (F f), Х х (X x), Һ һ (H h), Ц ц (S s), Ч ч (Ş ş), Ш ш (Ş ş), Щ щ (Ş ş), Ъ ъ ( ), Ы ы (Y y), І і (ı ı), Ь ь ( ), Э э (E e), Ю ю (Ü ü), Я я (Ä ä)

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Kyrgyz

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ɑ/, (dialectal, some loanwords) /a/

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Kyrgyz alphabet, called а and written in the Cyrillic script.

Usage notes

The pronunciation of the phoneme as /a/ only occurs in Persian loanwords with a front vowel later in the word in some dialects. In most dialects, this is indistinct from /ɑ/.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) А а (A a), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (Ğ ğ), Д д (D d), Е е (Ye ye), Ё ё (Yo yo), Ж ж (J j), З з (Z z), И и (İ i), Й й (Y y), К к (Q q), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), Ң ң (Ñ ñ), О о (O o), Ө ө (Ö ö), П п (P p), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), У у (U u), Ү ү (Ü ü), Ф ф (F f), Х х (H h), Ц ц (Ts ts), Ч ч (Ç ç), Ш ш (Ş ş), Щ щ (Şç şç), Ъ ъ (ʺ ʺ), Ы ы (I ı), Ь ь (ʹ ʹ), Э э (E e), Ю ю (Yu yu), Я я (Ya ya)

Noun

а • (a)

1. The name of the Cyrillic-script letter А.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letter names) буква; а (a), бе (be), ве (ve), ге (ge), де (de), е (ye), ё (yo), же (je), зе (ze), и (i), ий (iy), ка (qa), эл (el), эм (em), эн (en), ың (ıñ), о (o), ө (ö), пе (pe), эр (er), эс (es), те (te), у (u), ү (ü), эф (ef), ха (ha), це (tse), че (çe), ша (şa), ща (şça), ажыратуу белгиси (ajıratuu belgisi), ы (ı), ичкертүү белгиси (içkertüü belgisi), э (e), ю (yu), я (ya) ^{(Category: ky:Cyrillic letter names)}

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Macedonian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /a/
• (letter name): IPA^(key): [a]

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

а • (a) (upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Macedonian alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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), Ѓ ѓ (Ǵ ǵ), Е е (E e), Ж ж (Ž ž), З з (Z z), Ѕ ѕ (Dz dz), И и (I i), Ј ј (J j), К к (K k), Л л (L l), Љ љ (Lj lj), М м (M m), Н н (N n), Њ њ (Nj nj), О о (O o), П п (P p), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), Ќ ќ (Ḱ ḱ), У у (U u), Ф ф (F f), Х х (H h), Ц ц (C c), Ч ч (Č č), Џ џ (Dž dž), Ш ш (Š š)

Etymology 2

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?

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Mongolian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А) (italics: А, а)

1. The first letter of the Mongolian alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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 (Yö yö), Ё ё (Yo yo), Ж ж (J j), З з (Dz dz), И и (I i), Й й (Y y), К к (K k), Л л (L l), М м (M m), Н н (N n), О о (O o), Ө ө (Ö ö), П п (P p), Р р (R r), С с (S s), Т т (T t), У у (U u), Ү ү (Ü ü), Ф ф (F f), Х х (H h), Ц ц (Ts ts), Ч ч (Ch ch), Ш ш (Sh sh), Щ щ (Shch shch), Ъ ъ (’ ’), Ы ы (Ϊ ϊ), Ь ь (Ĭ ĭ), Э э (E e), Ю ю (Yü yü), Я я (Ya ya)

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Nivkh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Noun

а (a)

1. (Amur, Sakhalin) armspan

Letter

а (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Nivkh alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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)

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Old Church Slavonic

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction

а • (a)

1. and
2. but

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Old East Slavic

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction

а (a)

1. but, and

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Old Novgorodian

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction

а (a)

1. but, and

References

• “а (document № 624)”, in Древнерусские берестяные грамоты [Birchbark Literacy from Medieval Rus] (in Russian), http://gramoty.ru, 2007–2022
• Zaliznyak, Andrey (2004), “§4.33”, in Древненовгородский диалект [Old Novgorod dialect] (Studia philologica) (in Russian), 2nd edition, Moscow: Languages of Slavic Cultures, →ISBN, page 191 of 872

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Ossetian

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /a/

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Ossetian alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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)

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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 alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.
2. The name of the Roman letter A, a in Russian.

See also

• (Cyrillic-script letters) бу́ква (búkva); А а (A a), Б б (B b), В в (V v), Г г (G g), Д д (D d), Е е (Je je), Ё ё (Jó jó), Ж ж (Ž ž), З з (Z z), И и (I i), 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), Ъ ъ ( ), Ы ы (Y y), Ь ь (ʹ ʹ), Э э (E e), Ю ю (Ju ju), Я я (Ja ja)

Etymology 2

Inherited 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

Descendants

• → Kildin Sami: а (a)

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), а́-а (á-a)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

• Audio

  (file)

Interjection

а! • (a!)

1. oh! (expressing surprise or realization)

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

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

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

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Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a/

Etymology 1

See Translingual section.

Alternative forms

• А (upper case)

Letter

а (Latin spelling a)

1. The first letter of the Serbo-Croatian alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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

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Ukrainian

Etymology

See Translingual section.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a]

• Audio

  (file)

Letter

а • (a) (lower case, upper case А)

1. The first letter of the Ukrainian alphabet, written in the Cyrillic script.

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