а

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Cirila-а-minuskla.svg
а U+0430, а
CYRILLIC SMALL LETTER A
← Я
[U+042F]		 Cyrillic б →
[U+0431]
See also: А and Appendix:Variations of "a"

Translingual[edit]

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

Etymology[edit]

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

Letter[edit]

а (lower case, upper case А)

  1. The first letter of several Cyrillic alphabets.

Related terms[edit]

  • a (Latin alphabet)

See also[edit]

Adyghe[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Determiner[edit]

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[edit]

а • (ā) (lower case, upper case А)

  1. The first letter of the Adyghe Cyrillic alphabet.

See also[edit]

Bulgarian[edit]

Pronunciation 1[edit]

Letter[edit]

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[edit]

Particle[edit]

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[edit]

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 на ум! ― A, sega mi dojde na um! ― 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[edit]

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

Conjunction[edit]

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[edit]
See also[edit]

Chechen[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Compare Ingush а (a).

Conjunction[edit]

а • (a)

  1. and

See also[edit]

Ingush[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Compare Chechen а (a).

Conjunction[edit]

а • (a)

  1. and

Macedonian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction[edit]

а • (a)

  1. and, whereas

Particle[edit]

а • (a)

  1. what about
    А јас? ― A jas? ― What about me?

Nivkh[edit]

Letter[edit]

а (a) (upper case А)

  1. The first letter of the Nivkh alphabet.

See also[edit]

Old Church Slavonic[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction[edit]

а • (a)

  1. and
  2. but

Old East Slavic[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction[edit]

а (a)

  1. but, and

Old Novgorodian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Slavic *a.

Conjunction[edit]

а (a)

  1. but, and

References[edit]

Ossetian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Letter[edit]

а • (a) (upper case А)

  1. The first letter of the Ossetian alphabet.

See also[edit]

Russian[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

See Translingual section.

Pronunciation[edit]

Letter[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

Conjunction[edit]

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[edit]

Etymology 3[edit]

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[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Interjection[edit]

а • (a)!

  1. well! (expressing surprise)

Particle[edit]

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[edit]

Abbreviation of ампе́р (ampér).

Pronunciation[edit]

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

Noun[edit]

а • (a) m inan (indeclinable)

  1. A, amp, ampere

Etymology 5[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Pronoun[edit]

а • (a) (invariable)

  1. (criminal slang) he, she or it (used to point to a particular person)
References[edit]
  • Viktor Pirožkov (2001), Kriminalʹnaja Psixologija [Criminal Psychology], Moscow: Os-89

Serbo-Croatian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

See Translingual section.

Alternative forms[edit]

  • (uppercase): А

Letter[edit]

а (Latin spelling a)

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

See also[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

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

Conjunction[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

а (Latin spelling a)

  1. oh, ah
    а да? ― oh really?

References[edit]

  • “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

Ukrainian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

See Translingual section.

Pronunciation[edit]

Letter[edit]

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[edit]

Conjunction[edit]

а • (a)

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

Particle[edit]

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[edit]

а • (a)!

  1. ah!, oh!, oh well
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