Arabic

Letter

ا / ‍ا • ‎(ʾalif)

1. Although usually considered to be the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, the small hamza (ء ‎(ʾ)) that sits on top of أ ‎(ʾ) 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 ‎(ʾalif) and, without the hamza, is used to lengthen a preceding a. It is followed by ب ‎(b).

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).

Pronunciation

• عَار ‎(ʿār, “shame”)

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

• اَلْيَوْمَ ‎(al-yawma, “today”)

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

• اِبْن ‎(ibn, “son”)

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

• اُكْتُبْ ‎(uktub, “write”)

See also

• (Arabic script letters) ا ‎(ā), ب ‎(b), ت ‎(t), ث ‎(ṯ), ج ‎(j), ح ‎(ḥ), خ ‎(ḵ), د ‎(d), ذ ‎(ḏ), ر ‎(r), ز ‎(z), س ‎(s), ش ‎(š), ص ‎(ṣ), ض ‎(ḍ), ط ‎(ṭ), ظ ‎(ẓ), ع ‎(ʿ), غ ‎(ḡ), ف ‎(f), ق ‎(q), ك ‎(k), ل ‎(l), م ‎(m), ن ‎(n), ه ‎(h), و ‎(w), ي ‎(y)
• أ ‎(ʾ)
• إ ‎(ʾ)
• آ ‎(ʾā)
• ٱ ‎()
• ـٰ ‎(-ā)
• Wikipedia article on the Arabic alphabet
• Search en.wiktionary.org for articles beginning with: ا

Khowar

Pronunciation

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

Letter

ا ‎(ālif)

1. The first letter of the Khowar abjad.

Forms

See also

• Next letter: ﺁ

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

See also

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

Malay

Pronunciation

• (Name of letter) IPA^(key): [alef]
• (Phoneme) 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) حروف; ا,‎ ب,‎ ت,‎ ث,‎ ج,‎ چ,‎ ح,‎ خ,‎ د,‎ ذ,‎ ر,‎ ز,‎ س,‎ ش,‎ ص,‎ ض,‎ ط,‎ ظ,‎ ع,‎ غ,‎ ڠ,‎ ف,‎ ڤ,‎ ق,‎ ک,‎ ݢ,‎ ل,‎ م,‎ ن,‎ و,‎ ۏ,‎ ه,‎ ء,‎ ي,‎ ى,‎ ڽ ^[edit]

Pashto

Pronunciation

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

Letter

ا • ‎(alif)

1. The first letter of the Pashto alphabet.

Forms

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

Persian

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• (medial/final) ﺎ

Pronunciation

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

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

ا • ‎(a)

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

Rajasthani

Pronunciation

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

Letter

ا ‎(ảlif)

1. The first letter of the Rajasthani abjad.

Forms

See also

• Next letter: ب

Urdu

Alternative forms

• अ ‎(a)

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /əlɪf/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ə/, /a/, /ʔ/

Letter

ا • ‎(ālif)

1. The first letter of the Urdu abjad.

Forms

See also

• Next letter: ب