ء

Root entry · 42 derived lemmas

This entry focuses on the Arabic letter 'alif' (أ) and its various functions and forms within the Arabic language. It details its role as a letter, a long vowel, a particle for calling, and its diverse grammatical and orthographic uses, including its substitution for other letters and its function in different word types.

Derived headwords

أparticle

1.
letterboth
The first letter of the Arabic alphabet.
2.
long vowelboth
A long vowel sound, often extending a preceding short vowel.
3.
vocative particleboth
A particle used for calling out to someone distant.

أَخَذَverb

1.
to takeboth
To grasp, seize, or receive something.

أَحْمَدَverb

1.
to praiseboth
To commend or glorify, often used in the context of praising God.

أَحْسَنَverb

1.
to do wellboth
To perform an action in a good or excellent manner.

اِسْتَخْرَجَverb

1.
to extractboth
To draw out or remove something from a place or substance.

اِسْتَوْفَىverb

1.
to completeboth
To fulfill, satisfy, or bring to an end.

شَكَرُواverb

1.
they thankedboth
Past tense plural verb indicating gratitude.

اِفْعَلْنَانِverb

1.
they (fem. dual) doclassical
A verb form indicating the dual feminine subject performing an action.

أَنَاpronoun

1.
Iboth
The first-person singular pronoun.

أَسْتَغْفِرُverb

1.
I seek forgivenessboth
First-person singular present tense verb indicating seeking pardon.

فَاعِلnoun

1.
doerboth
One who performs an action; the subject of a verb.

فَعُولnoun

1.
intense doerclassical
A noun pattern often indicating intensity or a habitual doer.

زَيْدًاname

1.
Zaydboth
A common masculine proper name in Arabic.

زَيْدname

1.
Zaydboth
A common masculine proper name in Arabic.

حَمْرَاءadjective

1.
red (fem.)both
Feminine form of the adjective meaning red.

سَكْرَىadjective

1.
drunk (fem.)both
Feminine form of the adjective meaning intoxicated.

حُبْلَىadjective

1.
pregnant (fem.)both
Feminine form of the adjective meaning pregnant.

عُمَرُname

1.
Umarboth
A common masculine proper name in Arabic.

عَمْرًاname

1.
Umarboth
A common masculine proper name in Arabic, in accusative case.

كَالْكِلْكِلِnoun

1.
chestclassical
The breastbone or chest area.

خَاتَمnoun

1.
ringboth
A piece of jewelry worn on the finger.

دَانَقnoun

1.
a unit of weightclassical
A small unit of weight or currency, equivalent to one-sixth of a dirham.

بَاعَverb

1.
to sellboth
To give or hand over something in exchange for money.

قَالَverb

1.
to sayboth
To utter words; to speak.

يَجْلِسَانِverb

1.
they (dual) sitboth
Dual present tense verb indicating two people sitting.

يَذْهَبَانِverb

1.
they (dual) goboth
Dual present tense verb indicating two people going.

الزَّيْدَانِnoun

1.
the two Zaydsboth
Dual form of the proper name Zayd, referring to two individuals named Zayd.

أَلْوَانnoun

1.
colorsboth
Plural of 'lawn', meaning various colors.

أَزْوَاجnoun

1.
pairsboth
Plural of 'zawj', meaning pairs or couples.

اِبْنnoun

1.
sonboth
A male child.

اِبْنَيْنnoun

1.
two sonsboth
Dual form of 'ibn', referring to two sons.

اِبْنَةnoun

1.
daughterboth
A female child.

اِبْنَتَيْنnoun

1.
two daughtersboth
Dual form of 'ibnah', referring to two daughters.

اِثْنَيْنnumber

1.
twoboth
The number two.

اِثْنَتَيْنnumber

1.
two (fem.)both
Feminine form of the number two.

اِبْنَمnoun

1.
son ofclassical
A variant form of 'ibn' used in specific contexts.

اِمْرِئٍnoun

1.
manboth
A male person; a man.

اِمْرَأَةnoun

1.
womanboth
An adult female human.

اِسْمnoun

1.
nameboth
A word or set of words by which a person or thing is known, addressed, or referred to.

اِسْتَparticle

1.
isclassical
A particle used in certain constructions, possibly related to 'inna'.

أَيْمَنname

1.
Aymanboth
A masculine proper name.

أَيْمَنadjective

1.
right (side)both
Relating to the right side; auspicious.

Parallel reading

وأصول الألفات ثلاثة، وتتبعها الباقيات

And the origins of the alifs are three, and the remaining ones follow them.

أصلية: كألف وأخذ.

Original: like the alif in 'alif' and 'akhadha' (to take).

وقطعية: كأحمد وأحسن.

And hamzated: like 'ahmada' (to praise) and 'ahsana' (to do well).

و}_{\text{وصلية}}: كاستخرج واستوفى.

And connective: like 'istakhraja' (to extract) and 'istawfa' (to complete).

وتتبعها الألف الفاصلة، تثبت بعد واو الجمع في الخط لتفصل بين الواو وما بعدها: كشكروا

And it is followed by the separating alif, which is fixed after the 'waw' of the plural in writing to separate the 'waw' from what comes after it: like 'shakarū' (they thanked).

والفاصلة بين نون علامات الإناث وبين النون الثقيلة: كافعلنان.

And the separator between the 'nun' of feminine markers and the heavy 'nun': like 'if'alnan' (they [fem. dual] do).

وألف العبارة، وتسمى العاملة: كأنا أستغفر الله.

And the alif of the sentence, and it is called the operative: like 'anā astaghfirullāh' (I seek forgiveness from God).

والألف المجهولة: كألف فاعل وفاعول، وهي كل ألف لإشباع الفتحة في الاسم والفعل.

And the unknown alif: like the alif in 'fā'il' (doer) and 'fā'ūl' (intense doer), and it is every alif for lengthening the 'fatḥah' in nouns and verbs.

وألف العوض: تبدل من التنوين: كرأيت زيدا.

And the alif of substitution: it is substituted for tanwin: like 'ra'aytu Zaydan' (I saw Zayd).

وألف النداء: أزيد تريد يا زيد.

And the alif of calling: 'A Zayd, do you want, O Zayd?'

وألف الندبة: وازيداه.

And the alif of lamentation: 'Wā Zaydāh' (Oh, Zayd!).

وألف التأنيث، كمدة حمراء، وألف سكرى وحبلى.

And the alif of feminine gender, like 'maddah ḥamrā'' (a red duration), and the alif of 'sakrā' (drunk) and 'ḥublā' (pregnant).

وألف المحولة، أي: كل ألف أصله واو أو ياء كباع وقال.

And the converted alif, meaning: every alif whose origin is a 'waw' or 'ya', like in 'bā'a' (to sell) and 'qāla' (to say).

وألف التثنية في: يجلسان ويذهبان والزيدان.

And the alif of dualization in: 'yajlisān' (they [dual] sit), 'yadhhabān' (they [dual] go), and 'al-Zaydan' (the two Zayds).

وألف القطع في الجمع: كألوان وأزواج.

And the alif of separation in the plural: like 'alwān' (colors) and 'azwāj' (pairs).

وألفات الوصل في: ابن وابنين وابنة وابنتين واثنين واثنتين وابنم وامرئ وامرأة واسم واست وايمن وايمن.

And the alifs of connection in: 'ibn' (son), 'ibnayn' (two sons), 'ibnah' (daughter), 'ibnatayn' (two daughters), 'ithnayn' (two), 'ithnatayn' (two [fem.]), 'ibnam', 'imri'' (man), 'imra'ah' (woman), 'ism' (name), 'ist', 'Ayman' (name), and 'ayman' (right).