ا

See also: أ, اً, ٱ, آ, إ, and ا-

Arabic

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /ʔalif/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ʔ/, /aː/

Letter

ا / ‍ا • (ʾalif)

1. Although usually considered to be the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, the small hamza (ء (ʔ)) that sits on top of أ (ʔ) is really the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, and the tall column is its bearer. This entry only deals with the lower part, the bearer, which is called أَلِف (ʔalif) and, without the hamza, is used to lengthen a preceding a.

Symbol

ا • (ʾalif)

1. The first letter in traditional abjad order, which is used in place of numerals for list numbering (abjad numerals). It is followed by ب (b).

Isolated form	Final form	Medial form	Initial form
ا	ـا	ـاـ	اـ

Pronunciation

After fatha: ـَا — IPA^(key): /aː/

• عَار (ʕār, “shame”)

Combined with fatha: اَ — IPA^(key): /ʔa/

• اَلْيَوْمَ (al-yawma, “today”)

Combined with kasra: اِ — IPA^(key): /ʔi/

• اِبْن (ibn, “son”)

Combined with damma: اُ — IPA^(key): /ʔu/

• اُكْتُبْ (uktub, “write”)

See also

• (Arabic script letters) ا (ʔalif), ب (bāʔ), ت (tāʔ), ث (ṯāʔ), ج (jīm), ح (ḥāʔ), خ (ḵāʔ), د (dāl), ذ (ḏāl), ر (rāʔ), ز (zāy), س (sīn), ش (šīn), ص (ṣād), ض (ḍād), ط (ṭāʔ), ظ (ẓāʔ), ع (ʕayn), غ (ḡayn), ف (fāʔ), ق (qāf), ك (kāf), ل (lām), م (mīm), ن (nūn), ه (hāʔ), و (wāw), ي (yāʔ)
• أ (ʔ)
• إ (ʔ)
• آ (ʔā)
• ى
• ٱ
• ـٰ
• Wikipedia article on the Arabic alphabet
• Search en.wiktionary.org for articles beginning with: ا

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Khowar

Pronunciation

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

Letter

ا (ālif)

1. The first letter of the Khowar abjad.

Forms

Isolated form	Final form
ا	ـا

See also

• Next letter: آ

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Kyrgyz

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /aˈlif/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ɑ/

Letter

ا • (alif)

1. The first letter of the Kyrgyz in Arabic Script. It represents the Cyrillic letter А

Forms

Isolated form	Final form
ا	ـا

See also

• (Arabic script letters) ا, ب, پ, ﻥ, ﺕ, ﺝ, ﭺ, ﺡ, ﻑ, ﻕ, ﻉ, ك, گ, ڭ, ﻝ, ﻡ, و, ۅ, ۉ, ﯗ, ﯞ, ﺱ, ﺵ, ﺩ, ﺭ, ﺯ, ﻩ, ﻯ, ﯗﺀ, ﻰﺋ, ﻲ, ﻯ, ء, يۋ, ﻻ,

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Malay

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [alef]
• IPA^(key): [ä], [ɐ], [ə]

Letter

ا / ‍ا

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

See also

• (Arabic script letters) ا,‎ ب,‎ ت,‎ ة,‎ ث,‎ ج,‎ چ,‎ ح,‎ خ,‎ د,‎ ذ,‎ ر,‎ ز,‎ س,‎ ش,‎ ص,‎ ض,‎ ط,‎ ظ,‎ ع,‎ غ,‎ ڠ,‎ ف,‎ ڤ,‎ ق,‎ ک,‎ ݢ,‎ گ,‎ ل,‎ م,‎ ن,‎ و,‎ ۏ,‎ ه,‎ ہ,‎ ھ,‎ ء,‎ ي,‎ ى,‎ ی,‎ ے,‎ ڽ ^[edit]

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Pashto

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /aˈlif/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ɑ/, /ʔ/

Letter

ا • (alif)

1. The first letter of the Pashto alphabet.

Forms

Isolated form	Final form
ا	ـا

Usage notes

• At the start of the word, the letter ا (alif) represents the consonant /ʔ/.
• In the middle or end of a word, ا represents the vowel /ɑ/.

See also

• Next letter: ب

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Persian

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• Phoneme: IPA^(key): /ɒː/, /æ/, /e/, /o/
• Letter name: IPA^(key): [ɒːlef]

• audio

  (file)

Letter

ا • (â, a, e, o)

1. The first letter of the Perso-Arabic alphabet. Its name is اَلِف (alef).

See also

• Next letter: ب
• آ (alef madde)
• اً (tanvin)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /æ/

Preposition

1. (dialectal, Hamadan, Harat) from, since

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɒː/

Suffix

ا • (-â)

1. an adjective forming suffix
2. a noun forming suffix

See also

• Category:Persian words suffixed with ـا

Etymology 4

Alternative forms

• یا (-yâ) (following a vowel)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɒː/

Suffix

ا • (-â)

1. (chiefly literary) a vocative suffix

   خداوندا ― xodâvandâ ― O Lord!

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Rajasthani

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /ɑlif/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ɑ/

Letter

ا (ảlif)

1. The first letter of the Rajasthani abjad.

Forms

Isolated form	Final form
ا	ـا

See also

• Next letter: ب

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Urdu

Pronunciation

• (letter name): (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ɑː.lɪf/
• (phoneme): (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /ə/, /ɑː/, /ʔ/

Letter

ا • (ālif)

1. The first letter of the Urdu abjad.

Forms

Isolated form	Final form
ا	ـا

See also

• Next letter: ب (b)