an
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Appendix:Variations of "an"
Languages (82)
Translingual • English
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Page categories
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Page categories
Symbol
an
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle English an, from Old English ān (“a, an”, literally “one”). More at one.
Article
an (indefinite)
- Form of a (all article senses).
- Used before a vowel sound.
- I'll be there in half an hour.
- 'E's staying at an 'otel. (compare He's staying at a hotel.)
- 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
- Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines.
- 1971, Lyndon Johnson, “The Beginning”, in The Vantage Point, Holt, Reinhart & Winston, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 12:
- I was catapulted without preparation into the most difficult job any mortal man can hold. My duties would not wait a week, or a day, or even an hour.
- (now quite rare) Used before one and words with initial ⟨u⟩, ⟨eu⟩ when pronounced /ju/.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 24:8:
- God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
- (Can we date this quote?), John Mackay Wilson, Wilson's Tales of the Borders; Historical, Traditionary, and Imaginative, →OCLC, page 84:
- My hopes, from my earliest years, have been hopes of celebrity as a writer- not of wealth, or of influence, or of accomplishing any of the thousand aims which furnish the great bulk of mankind with motives. You will laugh at me. There is something so emphatically shadowy and unreal in the object of this ambition, that even the full attainment of its provokes a smile. For who does not know
'How vain that second life in others' breath,
The estate which wits inherit after death!'
And what can be more fraught with the ludicrous than an union of this shadowy ambition with mediocre parts and attainments! But I digress.
- 2010 March 22, Paul Taylor, “Greece Debates Revive Old European Fears and Resentments”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2010-04-03, Inside Europe:
- President Nicolas Sarkozy of France is open to an European monetary fund but would want it to raise money cheaply on capital markets and lend it to needy euro-zone countries before they faced possible default.
- 2021 April 13, Neil Vigdor, “Hank Aaron’s Name Will Replace a Confederate General’s on an Atlanta School”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on April 14, 2021, U.S.:
- In an unanimous vote on Monday, the city’s school board approved removing the name of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest from Forrest Hill Academy and calling the alternative school the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy.
- 2024 February 14, Lawrence O'Donnell, 0:29 from the start, in Lawrence: Jack Smith asks SCOTUS to move fast on Trump. Nixon case is proof they can., MSNBC, archived from the original on February 15, 2024:
- Having been given seven full days, Jack Smith took exactly one day to file a forty-page response in opposition, to the Supreme Court, making the argument that there was no reason for the Supreme Court to hear Donald Trump's appeal of an unanimous opinion by the second most important court in the country, the Washington, D.C. Federal Court of Appeals, which supported the trial judge's ruling that there is no such thing as immunity from criminal prosecution for former presidents.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:an.
- (nonstandard) Used before /h/ in a stressed or unstressed syllable.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 40:1–2:
- 1 I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined vnto me, and heard my crie.
2 He brought me vp also out of an horrible pit, out of the mirie clay, and set my feete vpon a rock, and established my goings.
- 1693, Robert Morden, “Of China”, in Geography Rectified; or a Description of the World, 3rd edition, →OCLC, page 441:
- The Province of Nanking, by the Tartars called Kiangnan, is the ſecond in honour, in magnitude and fertility in all China : It is divided into 14 great Territories, having Cities and Towns an hundred and ten; Nanking, or Kiangning being the Metropolis; a City, that if ſhe did not exceed moſt Cities on the Earth in bigneſs and beauty, yet ſhe was inferior to few, for her Pagodes, her Temples, her Porcelane Towers, her Palaces and Triumphal Arches. Fungiang, Sucheu, Sunkiang, Leucheu, Hoaigan, Ganking, Ningue, Hoeicheu, are alſo eminent places, and of great Note and Trade.
- 1953, Mao Tse-tung, “Mao Tse-tung's Tribute to Stalin”, in Current Soviet Policies, New York: Frederick A. Praeger, →ISSN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 254:
- Following the doctrine of Lenin and Stalin, relying on the support of the great Soviet state and all the revolutionary forces of all countries, the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people gained an historic victory a few years ago.
- 1972 May 28, 3:30 from the start, in President Nixon addresses the Soviet People live from the Kremlin, spoken by Richard Nixon, archived from the original on 22 December 2015:
- We have agreed on joint ventures in space. We have agreed on ways of working together to protect the environment, to advance health, to cooperate in science and technology. We have agreed on means of preventing incidents at sea. We have established a commission to expand trade between our two nations. Most important, we have taken an historic first step in the limitation of nuclear strategic arms.
- 2022 June 29, David Pakman, 0:00 from the start, in Trump Assaulted Secret Service Agent, Smeared Ketchup on Wall, archived from the original on 30 June 2022:
- Well yesterday was an historic day. Uh, there was last minute testimony scheduled in the January 6th committee from a former aide to Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows.
- (nonstandard, British, West Country) Used before all consonants.
- Used before a vowel sound.
Usage notes
Main appendix: English articles#Indefinite articles
- In standard English, the article an is used before vowel sounds, while a is used before consonant sounds. Alternatively, an can be found before an unstressed syllable beginning with /h/, as in "an historic". The /h/ may then become silent or is at least very weakly articulated. This usage is favoured by only 6% of British speakers, and is only slightly more common in writing.[1]
- Historically, an could also be found before one and before many words with initial ⟨u⟩, ⟨eu⟩ (now pronounced with initial /juː/, /jʊ/, /jə/), such as eunuch, unique, and utility. This is because those initial letters were pronounced as vowels. In writing, an remained usual before such words until the 19th century -- long after these words acquired initial consonant sounds in standard English. This is still occasionally seen.[2]
- In the other direction, a can occur before a vowel in nonstandard (often dialectal) speech and in its written representations. Example: "ain't this a innerestin sitchation" (Moira Young, Blood Red Road).
- The various article senses of a are all senses of an.
Derived terms
Translations
Numeral
an
References
- Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage (2015, →ISBN, page 2: "Before words beginning with h [...] the standard modern approach is to use a (never an) together with an aspirated h [...], but not to demur if others use an with minimal or nil aspiration given to the following h (an historic /әn (h)ɪsˈtɒrɪk/, an horrific /әn (h)ɒˈrɪfɪk/, etc.)." Fowler's goes on to source the 6% figure to Wells (third edition, 2008).
- “a, adj.”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2008.
Etymology 2
From Middle English an (“and, if”). Doublet of and.
Conjunction
an
- (archaic) If
- c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
- […] An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.
- 1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:
- Thereupon, quoth he, "O woman, for sundry days I have seen thee attend the levée sans a word said; so tell me an thou have any requirement I may grant."
- (archaic) So long as.
- An it harm none, do what ye will.
- (archaic) As if; as though.
- 1797–1798 (date written), [Samuel Taylor Coleridge], “The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere”, in Lyrical Ballads, with a Few Other Poems, London: […] J[ohn] & A[rthur] Arch, […], published 1798, →OCLC:(original version), lines 61–64:
- At length did cross an Albatross,
Thorough the Fog it came;
And an it were a Christian Soul,
We hail'd it in God's Name.
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 3
Borrowed from Georgian ან (an).
Noun
an (plural ans)
Etymology 4
From the Old English an, on (preposition).
Preposition
an
- In each; to or for each; per.
- I was only going twenty miles an hour.
Usage notes
- This is the same as the word a in such contexts, modified because of preceding a vowel sound (after an unpronounced h). The train was speeding along at a mile a minute.
Synonyms
Translations
in each; to or for each; per
References
- “an”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Anagrams
Noun
an
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
an (definite accusative anı, plural anlar)
Declension
More information Declension of, singular ...
| Declension of an | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| singular | plural | |||||||
| nominative | an |
anlar | ||||||
| definite accusative | anı |
anları | ||||||
| dative | ana |
anlara | ||||||
| locative | anda |
anlarda | ||||||
| ablative | andan |
anlardan | ||||||
| definite genitive | anın |
anların | ||||||
Close
More information Possessive forms of, nominative ...
| Possessive forms of an | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | anım | anlarım | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | anın | anların | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | anı | anları | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | anımız | anlarımız | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | anınız | anlarınız | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | anı or anları | anları | ||||||
| accusative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | anımı | anlarımı | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | anını | anlarını | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | anını | anlarını | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | anımızı | anlarımızı | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | anınızı | anlarınızı | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | anını or anlarını | anlarını | ||||||
| dative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | anıma | anlarıma | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | anına | anlarına | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | anına | anlarına | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | anımıza | anlarımıza | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | anınıza | anlarınıza | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | anına or anlarına | anlarına | ||||||
| locative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | anımda | anlarımda | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | anında | anlarında | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | anında | anlarında | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | anımızda | anlarımızda | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | anınızda | anlarınızda | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | anında or anlarında | anlarında | ||||||
| ablative | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | anımdan | anlarımdan | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | anından | anlarından | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | anından | anlarından | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | anımızdan | anlarımızdan | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | anınızdan | anlarınızdan | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | anından or anlarından | anlarından | ||||||
| genitive | ||||||||
| singular | plural | |||||||
| mənim (“my”) | anımın | anlarımın | ||||||
| sənin (“your”) | anının | anlarının | ||||||
| onun (“his/her/its”) | anının | anlarının | ||||||
| bizim (“our”) | anımızın | anlarımızın | ||||||
| sizin (“your”) | anınızın | anlarınızın | ||||||
| onların (“their”) | anının or anlarının | anlarının | ||||||
Close
Derived terms
- hər anda
- anlıq
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Proto-Central Philippine *aŋ. Cognate with Cebuano ang, Hiligaynon ang, Tagalog ang, Waray-Waray an.
Further etymology is debated; some have theorized a relationship to Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *a (“direct marker”), from Proto-Austronesian *a (“direct marker”) with the addition of an unclear nasal suffix. Compare Kapampangan ing.
Particle
an (Basahan spelling ᜀᜈ᜔)
- direct marker for all general nouns other than personal proper nouns
- Nagdalagan an lalaki pasiring sa baybayon.
- The man ran towards the shore.
- Kinakan kan ikos an sira. (Naga)Kinaon kan ikos an sira. (Legazpi)
- The cat ate the fish.
Usage notes
- This particle is analyzed as the definite article (i.e., the) when used alone, and the indefinite article (i.e., a or an) when used with the numeral "saro".
- An saldang. (Naga)
- An aldaw. (Legazpi)
- The sun.
- An sarong tawo.
- A person.
- Specific nouns are marked with "si" or "su".
- Direct personal proper nouns (primarily names) are marked with "si".
Etymology 2
Pronoun
'an (Basahan spelling ᜀᜈ᜔)
- Clipping of iyan.
Etymology 1
Noun
an m (plural ans)
Derived terms
- annaie
Etymology 2
Preposition
an
Synonyms
Etymology 3
Pronoun
an
Determiner
an
Related terms
More information Small objects, concepts, Large objects, living things ...
| Small objects, concepts | Large objects, living things | Suffix | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | First person | ai | nei | -ei |
| Second person | omw, om | noum | -om | |
| Third person | an | noun | -an | |
| Plural | First person | äm (exclusive) ach (inclusive) | nöu̇m (exclusive) nöüch (inclusive) | -em (exclusive) -ach (inclusive) |
| Second person | ämi, ami | noumi | -emi | |
| Third person | ar | nour | -er |
Close
Chuukese possessive determiners
Noun
an
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle High German ein, from Old High German ein, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz. Cognate with German ein, Dutch een, English one, Icelandic einn.
Article
an
- (Sette Comuni) a, an
- an gamègalndar mann ― a married man
- (Luserna) oblique masculine of a
- I hån an pruadar un a sbestar. ― I have a brother and a sister.
Declension
More information Cimbrian indefinite articles (Sette Comuni dialect), Masculine ...
| Cimbrian indefinite articles (Sette Comuni dialect) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | ||
| Nominative | an | an | an | |
| Accusative | an | an | an | |
| Dative | aname | anara | aname | |
Close
Derived terms
Conjunction
an
- (Sette Comuni) that (introduces a subordinate clause)
- Khömme an dar sbaighe.
- Tell him that he needs to shut up.
References
- “an” in Martalar, Umberto Martello, Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo
- Patuzzi, Umberto, ed., (2013) Luserna / Lusérn: Le nostre parole / Ünsarne börtar / Unsere Wörter [Our Words], Luserna, Italy: Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien
Etymology
From Proto-Celtic *sindos.
Article
an
- the (definite article)
Etymology
Noun
an
Declension
More information nominative, genitive ...
| nominative | an |
|---|---|
| genitive | anniñ |
| dative | ange |
| accusative | anni |
| locative | ande |
| ablative | anden |
Close
Declension of an
References
- Mirjejev, V. A., Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN
Etymology
Inherited from Old Czech an. By surface analysis, univerbation of a + on.
Pronunciation
Pronoun
an
- (relative, archaic) which, who, as
- Synonyms: který, jenž, jak, když
- Bělá se tam, bělá žena, ana malé dítě nese. ― A white form can be seen there, a white woman who is carrying a child.
- Vidíš-li poutníka, an dlouhou lučinou spěchá ku cíli, než červánky pohynou? ― Do you see a traveller hastening ere the twilight passes away across the long meadows towards a destination?
Declension
More information singular, masculine animate ...
| singular | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine animate | masculine inanimate | feminine | neuter | |
| nominative | an | an | ana | ano |
| genitive | — | — | — | — |
| dative | — | — | — | — |
| accusative | — | — | — | — |
| locative | — | — | — | — |
| instrumental | — | — | — | — |
| plural | ||||
| masculine animate | masculine inanimate | feminine | neuter | |
| nominative | ani | any | any | ana |
| genitive | — | — | — | — |
| dative | — | — | — | — |
| accusative | — | — | — | — |
| locative | — | — | — | — |
| instrumental | — | — | — | — |
Close
Declension of an
Conjunction
an
Further reading
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Middle Low German an and German an, from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on, at”), cognate with English on and doublet of Danish å, Danish på.
Pronunciation
Adverb
an
- on (only used in lexicalized expressions)
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Pronunciation
Verb
an
- imperative of ane
Romanization
an
Etymology
From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaən, from Proto-Austronesian *kaən.
Verb
an
- to eat
References
- Drabbe, Peter (1932). Woordenboek der Fordaatsche Taal. Bandoeng: A.C. Nix & Co., p. 9.
Etymology
From Old French, from Latin annus, from Proto-Italic *atnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et-no-, probably from *h₂et- (“to go”).
Pronunciation
Noun
an m (plural ans)
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- “an”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams
Etymology 1
Determiner
an (singular)
Usage notes
- Used in Pular.
Etymology 2
Pronoun
an
- second person singular emphatic pronoun you
Usage notes
- Used in Pular.
Dialectal variants
- aan (Pulaar)
References
- Oumar Bah, Dictionnaire Pular-Français, Avec un index français-pular, Webonary.org, SIL International, 2014.
- Ritsuko Miyamoto (1993) “A Study of Fula Dialects : Examining the Continuous/Stative Constructions”, in Senri Ethnological Studies, volume 35, →DOI, pages 215-230
Etymology
From Middle High German an(e), from Old High German ana, from Proto-West Germanic *ana, from Proto-Germanic *ana.
Pronunciation
Preposition
an [with dative]
- (local) on; upon; at; in; against
- Das Bild hängt an der Wand. ― The picture hangs on the wall.
- by; near; close to; next to
- (temporal, with days or times of day) on; in; at
- Wir treffen uns am (an dem) Dienstag.
- We're meeting on Tuesday.
- Ich werde sie am (an dem) Abend sehen.
- I will see her in the evening.
- (temporal) a; per; only used with the word Tag (“day”), otherwise use in
- zweimal am Tag ― twice a day
Preposition
an [with accusative]
Preposition
an [with dative or accusative]
- (any relation to an object or attribute regardless of time and space) of, on, in, for, about
- an einem Roman schreiben ― to write on a novel
- Mangel an Lebensmitteln ― lack of food
- Alle Menschen sind frei und gleich an Würde und Rechten geboren ― All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
- Er ist schuld an dem Unglück ― He is responsible for the misfortune
- Das mag ich nicht an ihm ― I don't like that about him
Usage notes
- Usually used to refer to something being on a vertical surface, as opposed to auf, which usually points to a horizontal surface.
- When followed by the masculine/neuter definite article in the dative case (i.e. dem (“the”)), the two words generally contract to am (“on the”) if not emphasized.
- When followed by the neuter definite article in the accusative case (i.e. das (“the”)), the two words generally contract to ans (“on the”) if not emphasized.
Adverb
an
Adjective
an (indeclinable, predicative only)
- (predicative only) on
- Synonyms: angeschaltet, ein, eingeschaltet
- Antonyms: aus, ausgeschaltet
- Ist der Schalter an oder aus? [= Ist der Schalter an- oder ausgeschaltet?]
- Is the switch on or off. [Is the switch switched on or off.]
Declension
Indeclinable, predicative-only.
Derived terms
Anagrams
Noun
an
Further reading
- Patricia Lillie, Girawa Dictionary
Romanization
an
- Romanization of 𐌰𐌽
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Article
an
Usage notes
Use this word when:
See also
Etymology 2
Noun
an
Synonyms
Etymology 1
From Old Irish in, from Proto-Celtic *sindos.
Pronunciation
Article
an
- the
- an t-uisce ― the water
- an bhean ― the woman
- an pháiste ― of the child
- ag an gcailín/chailín ― at the girl
Declension
More information Case, Masculine singular ...
| Case | Masculine singular | Feminine singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | anT | anL | naH |
| Genitive | anL | naH | naE |
| Dative | anD | anD | naH |
| D: Triggers lenition after de, do, and i (except of d, t), no mutation with idir, and eclipsis otherwise (varies by dialect); s lenites to ts; s always lenites with feminine nouns, even with prepositions that normally trigger eclipsis, but does not lenite at all with masculine nouns E: Triggers eclipsis H: Triggers h-prothesis L: Triggers lenition (except of d, t; s lenites to ts) T: Triggers t-prothesis | |||
Close
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Particle
an (triggers eclipsis; takes the dependent form of irregular verbs if available; not used in the past tense except of some irregular verbs)
- Used to form direct and indirect questions
- An bhfuil tú ag éisteacht? ― Are you listening?
- Níl a fhios agam an bhfuil sé anseo. ― I don’t know if/whether he is here.
Related terms
- ar (used with the past tense of regular and some irregular verbs)
Particle
an
- used to introduce copular questions, both direct and indirect, in the present/future tense
- An maith leat bainne? ― Do you like milk?
- Níl a fhios agam an é Conchúr a chonaic mé. ― I don’t know if it’s Connor whom I saw.
Related terms
More information Present/future, Affirmative ...
Simple copular forms
|
Compound copular forms
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Irish copular forms
Etymology 3
Verb
an (present analytic anann, future analytic anfaidh, verbal noun anacht, past participle anta)
- (transitive, intransitive) Alternative form of fan (“stay, wait, remain”)
Conjugation
More information singular, plural ...
| singular | plural | relative | autonomous | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third | first | second | third | ||||
| indicative | present | anaim | anann tú; anair† |
anann sé, sí | anaimid | anann sibh | anann siad; anaid† |
a anann; a anas / a n-anann* |
antar |
| past | d'an mé; d'anas / an mé‡; anas‡ |
d'an tú; d'anais / an tú; anais‡ |
d'an sé, sí / an sé, sí‡ |
d'anamar; d'an muid / anamar; an muid‡ |
d'an sibh; d'anabhair / an sibh; anabhair‡ |
d'an siad; d'anadar / an siad; anadar‡ |
a d'an / ar an* |
anadh; hanadh† | |
| past habitual | d'anainn / anainn‡; n-anainn‡‡ |
d'antá / antá‡; n-antᇇ |
d'anadh sé, sí / anadh sé, sí‡; n-anadh sé, s퇇 |
d'anaimis; d'anadh muid / anaimis; anadh muid‡; n-anaimis‡‡; n-anadh muid‡‡ |
d'anadh sibh / anadh sibh‡; n-anadh sibh‡‡ |
d'anaidís; d'anadh siad / anaidís; anadh siad‡; n-anaidís‡‡; n-anadh siad‡‡ |
a d'anadh / a n-anadh* |
d'antaí / antaí‡; n-anta퇇 | |
| future | anfaidh mé; anfad |
anfaidh tú; anfair† |
anfaidh sé, sí | anfaimid; anfaidh muid |
anfaidh sibh | anfaidh siad; anfaid† |
a anfaidh; a anfas / a n-anfaidh* |
anfar | |
| conditional | d'anfainn / anfainn‡; n-anfainn‡‡ | d'anfá / anfá‡; n-anfᇇ | d'anfadh sé, sí / anfadh sé, sí‡; n-anfadh sé, s퇇 | d'anfaimis; d'anfadh muid / anfaimis‡; anfadh muid‡; n-anfaimis‡‡; n-anfadh muid‡‡ | d'anfadh sibh / anfadh sibh‡; n-anfadh sibh‡‡ | d'anfaidís; d'anfadh siad / anfaidís‡; anfadh siad‡; n-anfaidís‡‡; n-anfadh siad‡‡ | a d'anfadh / a n-anfadh* |
d'anfaí / anfaí‡; n-anfa퇇 | |
| subjunctive | present | go n-ana mé; go n-anad† |
go n-ana tú; go n-anair† |
go n-ana sé, sí | go n-anaimid; go n-ana muid |
go n-ana sibh | go n-ana siad; go n-anaid† |
— | go n-antar |
| past | dá n-anainn | dá n-antá | dá n-anadh sé, sí | dá n-anaimis; dá n-anadh muid |
dá n-anadh sibh | dá n-anaidís; dá n-anadh siad |
— | dá n-antaí | |
| imperative | anaim | an | anadh sé, sí | anaimis | anaigí; anaidh† |
anaidís | — | antar | |
| verbal noun | anacht | ||||||||
| past participle | anta | ||||||||
Close
conjugation of an (first conjugation – A)
Etymology 4
Particle
an
- Alternative form of a (used before numbers when counting)
Mutation
More information Irish mutation, Radical ...
| Irish mutation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Radical | Eclipsis | with h-prothesis | with t-prothesis |
| an | n-an | han | not applicable |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | |||
Close
Further reading
- Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “an”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
- Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “in”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “an”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
- “an”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024
Etymology 1
Noun
an (plural an dem, quantified an)
- hand
- 2012, Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment, Edinburgh: DJB, published 2012, →ISBN, Maak 3:5:
- So im se tu di man se, “Chrech out yu an.” Di man chrech out im an, an im an get beta.
- Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and his hand was healed.
Etymology 2
Conjunction
an
- and
- 2012, Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment, Edinburgh: DJB, published 2012, →ISBN, Aks 15:35:
- Bot Paal an Baanabas tan a Antiyak an tiich an priich Gad wod. An nof muor tiicha an priicha did iina di choch.
- But Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch, and taught and proclaimed the word of God along with many others.
Further reading
- an at majstro.com
Etymology
From Proto-Italic *an, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en. Cognate with Lithuanian angu (“or”), Gothic 𐌰𐌽 (an, “so? now?”). May also be related to Ancient Greek ἄν (án, particle), Sanskrit अना (anā́), Avestan 𐬀𐬥𐬁 (anā), Lithuanian anàs, Albanian a, Proto-Slavic *onъ.[1]
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /an/, [än]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /an/, [än]
Conjunction
an
- or, or whether (A conjunction that introduces the second part of a disjunctive interrogation, or a phrase implying doubt.)
- in disjunctive interrogations
- direct
- indirect
- or rather, or on the contrary (where the opinion of the speaker or the probability inclines to the second interrogative clause, and this is made emphatic, as a corrective of the former)
- hence, in the comic poets, as an potius
- or, or rather, or indeed, or perhaps (where, as is frequent, the first part of the interrogation is not expressed, but is to be supplied from the context, an begins the interrogation, but it does not begin an absolute – i.e., non-disjunctive – interrogation)
- (in the phrase an nōn) or not
- in direct questions
- in indirect questions
- (in the phrase an ne) pleonastic usage for an
- in direct questions
- in indirect questions
- (in disjunctive clauses that express doubt) or
- ?
- denoting uncertainty by itself, without a verb of doubting
- (chiefly in and after the Augustean period) standing for sīve
- where the first disjunctive clause is to be supplied from the general idea or where an stands for utrum or necne
- Since in such distributive sentences expressive of doubt, the opinion of the speaker or the probability usually inclines to the second, i.e. to the clause beginning with an, the expressions haud sciō an, nesciō an, and dubitō an incline to an affirmative signification, “I almost know”, “I am inclined to think”, “I almost think”, “I might say”, “I might assert that”, etc., for “perhaps”, “probably”.
- Sometimes the distributive clause beginning with an designates directly the opposite, the more improbable, the negative; in which case nesciō an, haud sciō an, etc., like the English I know not whether, signify “I think that not”, “I believe that not”, etc.
- in disjunctive interrogations
Usage notes
- Used with utrum (“whether”) in the construction utrum...an (“whether...or”):
- Nescio quid intersit, utrum nunc veniam, an ad decem annos.
- I know not what matter it is, whether I come now or after ten years.
- Nescio quid intersit, utrum nunc veniam, an ad decem annos.
Derived terms
- albus an āter sit
- annōn
- dubitō an
- haud sciō an
- nesciō an
References
- ăn in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- an in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
- to offer a person the alternative of... or..: optionem alicui dare, utrum...an
- it is a debated point whether... or..: in contentione ponitur, utrum...an
- it is a difficult point, disputed question: magna quaestio est (followed by an indirect question)
- to keep, celebrate a festival: diem festum agere (of an individual)
- to offer a person the alternative of... or..: optionem alicui dare, utrum...an
- De Vaan, Michiel (2008) Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN
Noun
an
References
- Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic →ISBN, 2007)
- Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (as ʔan)
Etymology
From Middle Low German an, from Old Saxon an, ana, from Proto-Germanic *an, *ana.
Pronunciation
Preposition
an
Inflection
More information preposition, postpositional adv. ...
| preposition | an |
|---|---|
| postpositional adv. | an |
| + her (hither) | ran |
| + düt (this) | hieran |
| + dat (that) | doran |
| + wat (what) | woran |
| + wat (something) | enerwegens an |
| + nix (nothing) | nargens an |
| + allens (everything) | överall an |
Close
Pronominal adverbs of an
Neither the spelling nor grammar of these forms applies to all, or even necessarily the majority, of dialects.
Adverb
an
See also
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Old High German indi.
Conjunction
an
Etymology 2
From Proto-Germanic *in.
Preposition
an
Romanization
an
- Nonstandard spelling of ān.
- Nonstandard spelling of án.
- Nonstandard spelling of ǎn.
- Nonstandard spelling of àn.
Usage notes
- Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
An unstressed form of oon (“one”), from the occasional use of Old English ān (“one”) as an article.
Article
an
- a, an (indefinite article):
- p. 1154, “AD 1137”, in Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (MS. Laud Misc. 636, continuation), Peterborough, folio 89, verso; republished at Oxford: Digital Bodleian, 2018 February 8:
- Þu myhteſ faren al a dæiſ fare ſculdeſt thu neure finden man in tun ſittende · ne land tiled.
- You could go a whole day's journey, but you'd never find anyone in town or any tilled fields.
- 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Prologe of the Tale of the Wẏf of Bathe”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 63, verso, lines 438-440:
- And but ye do / c[er]teyn we shal yow teche / that it is fair / to han a wyf in pees / Oon of vs two / moſte bowen doutelees
- And unless you do, we'll certainly teach you / that it's fair to have a wife in peace; / one of the two of us must without doubt submit.
- Used in conjunction with numerals (especially hundred, thousend)
Usage notes
- In later non-Northern Middle English, a is usually found before consonants other than /h/, while an is usually found preceding vowels and /h/. However, an often occurs before any consonant in earlier Middle English.
- In early Middle English, the indefinite article is often omitted; occasional omission persists into later Middle English.
- Inflected forms of the indefinite article are sometimes found in early Middle English; see the inflection table below.
Declension
More information Masculine, Feminine ...
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | an, a | an, a | an, a |
| Accusative | enne, ane, an, a | ane, an, a | ane, an, a |
| Genitive | anes, ane, an, a | are, anes, ane, an, a | anes, ane, an, a |
| Dative | ane, an, a | are, an, a | ane, an, a |
Close
Declension of an (early)
Descendants
References
- “a, indef. art.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Etymology 2
Preposition
an
- Alternative form of in
Etymology 3
Conjunction
an
- Alternative form of and
Etymology 4
Numeral
an
- Alternative form of oon
Etymology 5
Verb
an
- Alternative form of haven
Article
an
Derived terms
References
- “an” in Cimbrian, Ladin, Mòcheno: Getting to know 3 peoples. 2015. Servizio minoranze linguistiche locali della Provincia autonoma di Trento, Trento, Italy.
Etymology
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an (Arabic spelling ئان)
References
- Chyet, Michael L. (2020) “an”, in Ferhenga Birûskî: Kurmanji–English Dictionary (Language Series; 2), volume 2, London: Transnational Press, page 8
Etymology
Univerbation of a + on.
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an
- connects clauses; and that/he
- connects contrastive clauses; but that/he
- introduces a temporal clause of recency; as he just (was)
Declension
More information singular, masculine ...
| singular | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| nominative | an | ana | ano | |
| genitive | — | — | — | |
| dative | — | — | — | |
| accusative | —, — | — | — | |
| locative | — | — | — | |
| instrumental | — | — | — | |
| dual | ||||
| masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| nominative | ana | aně | ||
| genitive | — | |||
| dative | — | |||
| accusative | — | — | ||
| locative | — | |||
| instrumental | — | |||
| plural | ||||
| masculine | feminine | neuter | ||
| nominative | ani | any | ana | |
| genitive | — | |||
| dative | — | |||
| accusative | — | — | ||
| locative | — | |||
| instrumental | — | |||
Close
Declension of an
Derived terms
- ano
- anobrže
Further reading
- Jan Gebauer (1903–1916) “an”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění
| 10 | ||||
| 1 | 2 → | 10 → | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal: ān Ordinal: forma Adverbial: ǣne Age: ānwintre Multiplier: ānfeald | ||||
Etymology 1
From Proto-West Germanic *ain, from Proto-Germanic *ainaz.
Germanic cognates include Old Frisian ān, Old Saxon ēn, Old High German ein, Old Norse einn, Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ains). The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin ūnus, Ancient Greek οἶος (oîos), Old Irish oen.
Pronunciation
Numeral
ān
- one
- "Gospel of Saint John", chapter 10, verse 30
- Ic and Fæder synt ān.
- I and Father are one.
- c. 973, Æthelwold's translation of the Rule of Saint Benedict, quoting Galatians 3:28
- Ġe þēo ġe frēo, eall wē sind on Criste ān.
- Slave or free, we are all one in Christ.
- c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Mark 14:37
- Þā cōm hē and fand hīe slǣpende, and cwæþ tō Petre, "Simon, slǣpst þū? Ne meahtest þū āne tīd wacian?"
- Then he came and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Couldn't you stay awake for one hour?"
- early 12th century, the Peterborough Chronicle, year 1100
- On morgen æfter Hlāfmæssedæġe wearþ sē cyning Willelm on huntoþe fram his ānum menn mid āne flāne ofsċoten.
- On the morning after Lammas day, King William was out hunting when he was shot with an arrow by one of his servants.
- "Gospel of Saint John", chapter 10, verse 30
Declension
More information Singular, Masculine ...
Close
Declension of ān
Article
ān
Adjective
ān
- only
- Ne bēoþ wē ġeboren ūs selfum ānum.
- We aren't born for ourselves alone.
- Mæġ man sprecan be rīmum ġif þing ān sind?
- Can we speak of numbers if there are only things?
- 11th century, Durham Proverbs, no. 22
- Earg mæġ þæt ān þæt hē him ondrǣde.
- A coward can only do one thing: fear.
- c. 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English
- Āne twā word sind þǣre fēorðan ġeþīednesse: eō ("iċ gange"), īs ("þū gǣst"); queō ("iċ mæġ"), quīs ("þū meaht").
- Only two words follow the fourth declension: eo ("I go"), is ("you go"); queo ("I can"), quis ("you can").
- c. 990, Wessex Gospels, John 5:18
- Þæs þe mā þā Iudēiscan sōhton hine tō ofslēanne, næs nā for þon āne þe hē þone ræstedæġ bræc, ac for þon þe hē cwæþ þæt God wǣre his fæder, and hine selfne dyde Gode ġelīcne.
- That made the Jews try even harder to kill him, not just for breaking the Sabbath, but for saying God was his father, and making himself equal to God.
- c. 1000, "The Battle of Maldon", lines 94-95
- God āna wāt hwā þǣre wælstōwe wealdan mōte.
- Only God knows who is destined to control the battlefield.
- "The Fortunes of Men", lines 8-9
- God āna wāt hwæt him weaxendum wintra bringaþ.
- God only knows what the years will bring to the growing child.
- alone
- Neart þū ġenōg eald þæt þū āna on sund gā.
- You're not old enough to go swimming by yourself.
- Iċ slǣpe āna.
- I sleep alone.
- c. 992, Ælfric, "St. Benedict, Abbot"
- Gang nū tō mynstre ġif þū mæġe, and mē āna forlǣt.
- Now go to the monastery if you can, and leave me alone.
- c. 995, Ælfric, Extracts on Grammar in English
- Foresetnessa ne bēoþ nāhwǣr āna, ac bēoþ ǣfre tō sumum ōðrum worde ġefēġeda.
- Prepositions never occur by themselves: they are always attached to some other word.
- c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Paul the Apostle"
- Petrus āna spræc for ealne þone hēap.
- Peter by himself spoke for the whole group.
Usage notes
In the above senses ("only" and "alone"), this word was often used in the weak declension, often indeclinably as āna.
Declension
More information Singular, Masculine ...
Close
Declension of ān — Strong
More information Singular, Masculine ...
Close
Declension of ān — Weak
Adverb
ān
- only
- 995. Anglo-Saxon Gospels, Translation, Gospel of Saint Matthew, chapter 8, verse 8.
- Ðā andswarode sē hundredes ealdor and ðus cwæþ, Drihten, ne eom ic wyrðe, ðæt ðū ingange under mīne þecene; ac cweþ ðīn ān word, and mīn cnapa biþ ġehǣled.
- Then answered the centurion, and said thus, Lord, I am not worthy, that you enter under my roof; but say your word only, and my boy will be healed.
- 995. Anglo-Saxon Gospels, Translation, Gospel of Saint Matthew, chapter 8, verse 8.
Noun
ān n
- one (digit or figure)
Declension
More information Case, Singular ...
Close
Declension of ān (strong a-stem)
Derived terms
Descendants
See also
Etymology 2
Pronunciation
Preposition
an
- Alternative form of on
References
- Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) “an”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pronunciation
Pronoun
an (triggers eclipsis, takes a leniting relative clause)
- Alternative form of a
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 112b13
- Is demniu liunn a n-ad·chiam hua sulib ol·daas an ro·chluinemmar hua chluasaib.
- What we see with the eyes is more certain for us than what we hear with the ears.
- c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 112b13
Verb
·an
Verb
an
Mutation
More information Old Irish mutation, Radical ...
| Old Irish mutation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Radical | Lenition | Nasalization |
| an (pronounced with /h/ in h-prothesis environments) |
unchanged | n-an |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | ||
Close
Etymology
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *þan, possibly through *þannai, whence cognate with Old English þonne (“than”). For similar loss of þ- compare at from earlier Proto-Norse ᚦᚨᛏ (þat), ᚦᛡᛏ (þᴀt).
Conjunction
an
Descendants
Etymology
Univerbation of a + on.[1] First attested in 1388.
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an
- (attested in Greater Poland) connects clauses; and that
- 1888 [1388], Romuald Hube, editor, Zbiór rot przysiąg sądowych poznańskich, kościańskich, kaliskich, sieradzkich, piotrkowskich i dobrzyszyckich z końca wieku XIV i pierwszych lat wieku XV, Greater Poland, page 5:
- Wlost umouil Swenthoslauem rok, an gi na tem rocze ianl
- [Włost umówił z Świętosławem rok, an ji na tem roce jął]
- (attested in Greater Poland) connects contrastive clauses; but that
- 1887, 1889 [1391], Józef Lekszycki, editor, Die ältesten großpolnischen Grodbücher, volume I, number 1014, Poznań:
- Pani Helska Vøczenczovim ludzem czinila zaplaczena podlug vgednana, ani gey ne chczeli przyøcz
- [Pani Helżka Więcencowym ludziem czyniła zapłacenia podług ujednania, ani jej nie chcieli przyjąć]
- (attested in Masovia) introduces a temporal clause of recency; as it just (was)
- 1879 [1417], Jan Tadeusz Lubomirski, editor, Księga ziemi czerskiej 1404-1425. Liber terrae Cernensis, Masovia, page 178:
- Wanczlaw wszal voli Yanowi na ych dzedzine, an czski berze
- [Więcław wziął woły Janowi na ich dziedzinie, an cki bierze]
References
- J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1900), “an”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 1, Warsaw, page 33
- B. Sieradzka-Baziur, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (2011–2015), “an”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *an.
Preposition
an
Romanization
an
- Romanization of ᚨᚾ
Etymology
From Latin annus (“year”), from Proto-Italic *atnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et-no-, probably from *h₂et- (“to go”). Compare Megleno-Romanian an and Aromanian an.
Pronunciation
Noun
an m (plural ani or (obsolete) ai)
Declension
More information singular, plural ...
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
| nominative/accusative | (un) an | anul | (niște) ani | anii |
| genitive/dative | (unui) an | anului | (unor) ani | anilor |
| vocative | anule | anilor | ||
Close
Declension of an
Derived terms
References
- an in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)
Pronunciation
Preposition
an
References
- Wagner, Max Leopold (1960–1964) “a2”, in Dizionario etimologico sardo, Heidelberg
Etymology
From Old Frisian an, from Proto-West Germanic *an, from Proto-Germanic *an. Cognates include West Frisian oan and German an.
Pronunciation
Preposition
an (neuter or distal adverb deeran, proximal adverb hieran, interrogative adverb wieran)
- on
- Mien Jasse honget an dän Hoake. ― My jacket is hanging on the hook.
- at
- Iek sitte an dän Disk. ― I'm sitting at the table.
- next to
- Iek sitte an mien Suster. ― I'm sitting next to my sister.
- towards, to
- Dät Boot is an Lound kemen. ― The boat came ashore (literally, “The boat has come to land.”)
- of, from
- Mien Bääsje is an Kanker stúurven. ― My grandmother died of cancer.
- about, circa
- Iek häbe an do fjautig Ljudene blouked. ― I have seen about forty people.
Adjective
an
- on, switched on, burning
- Dät Fjúur is an. ― The fire is burning.
- Ju Laampe is an. ― The lamp is switched on.
References
Etymology 1
From Old English and, ond, end (“and”), from Proto-Germanic *andi, *anþi, *undi, *unþi (“and, furthermore”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti (“facing opposite, near, in front of, before”).
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Middle English oon, from Old English ān (“one”), from Proto-Germanic *ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos. Cognate to English an.
Pronunciation
Article
an
Usage notes
Synonyms
References
- “an, indef. art.” in the Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries.
Etymology 1
From Old Irish in. Cognates include Irish an and Manx yn.
Pronunciation
Article
an
Declension
More information Variation of (definite article), Masculine ...
| Variation of an (definite article) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | Feminine | Plural | |||||||
| nom. | dat. | gen. | nom. | dat. | gen. | nom. | dat. | gen. | |
| + f- | am | anL | anL | na | na | nam | |||
| + m-, p- or b- | am | a'L | a'L | na | na | nam | |||
| + c- or g- | an | a'L | a'L | na | na | nan | |||
| + sV-, sl-, sn- or sr- | an | anT | anT | na | na | nan | |||
| + other consonant | an | an | an | na | na | nan | |||
| + vowel | anT | an | an | naH | naH | nan | |||
| L Triggers lenition; H Triggers H-prothesis; T Triggers T-prothesis | |||||||||
Close
Etymology 2
From Old Irish a. Cognates include Irish a.
Pronunciation
Determiner
an
See also
More information Singular, Plural ...
| Singular | Plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| + C | + V | + C | + V | |
| First person | moL | m' | ar | arN |
| Second person | doL | d' | ur | urN |
| Third person m | aL | — | an, am1) | an |
| Third person f | a | aH | ||
| L Triggers lenition; H Triggers H-prothesis; N Triggers eclipsis; 1) Used before b-, f-, m- or p- | ||||
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Scottish Gaelic possessive determiners
Etymology 3
From Old Irish i. Cognates include Irish i and Manx ayns.
Pronunciation
Preposition
an (+ dative, no mutation)
Usage notes
Inflection
More information Personal inflection of, Number ...
| Personal inflection of an | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Person | Simple | Emphatic | ||||||
| Singular | 1st | annam | annamsa | ||||||
| 2nd | annad | annadsa | |||||||
| 3rd m | ann | annsan | |||||||
| 3rd f | innte | inntese | |||||||
| Plural | 1st | annainn | annainne | ||||||
| 2nd | annaibh | annaibhse | |||||||
| 3rd | annta | anntasan | |||||||
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More information Singular, Plural ...
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| First person | namL | narN |
| Second person | nadL | nurN |
| Third person m | naL | nanN, namN 1) |
| Third person f | naH | |
| L Triggers lenition; H Triggers H-prothesis; N Triggers eclipsis; 1) Used before b-, f-, m- or p- | ||
Close
Possessive declension of an
Synonyms
Derived terms
Etymology 4
From Old Irish in. Cognates include Irish an.
Pronunciation
Particle
an
- Used together with a dependent form of a verb to form the interrogative.
Usage notes
Verb
an
- Present interrogative form of is (the copula).
Usage notes
- Before words beginning with b, f, m or p, the form am is used.
Inflection
More information singular, plural ...
| singular | plural | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| first | second | third m/f | first | second | third | ||
| independent | present | is mi | is tu | is e/i | is sinn | is sibh | is iad |
| past | bu mhi | bu tu | b' e/i | bu sinn | bu sibh | b' iad | |
| conditional | |||||||
| negative | present | cha mhi | cha tu | chan e/i | cha sinn | cha sibh | chan iad |
| past | cha bu mhi | cha bu tu | cha b' e/i | cha bu sinn | cha bu sibh | cha b' iad | |
| conditional | |||||||
| affirmative interrogative |
present | am mi? | an tu? | an e/i? | an sinn? | an sibh? | an iad? |
| past | am bu mhi? | am bu tu? | am b' e/i? | am bu sinn? | am bu sibh? | am b' iad? | |
| conditional | |||||||
| Negative interrogative |
present | nach mi? | nach tu? | nach e/i? | nach sinn? | nach sibh? | nach iad? |
| past | nach bu mhi? | nach bu tu? | nach b' e/i? | nach bu sinn? | nach bu sibh? | nach b' iad? | |
| conditional | |||||||
Close
Conjugation of is (highly irregular, defective)
References
- Edward Dwelly (1911) “an”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
- Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “2 a”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “i”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “in”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
- Colin Mark (2003) The Gaelic-English dictionary, London: Routledge, →ISBN, pages 34-35
Etymology
From Proto-Austronesian *-an.
Noun
an
Pronoun
an
References
Romanization
an
- Romanization of 𒀭 (an)
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle Low German an and German an, and less commonly from English on, from Proto-Germanic *ana (“on, at”), cognate with English on and doublet of Swedish å, Swedish på.
Adverb
an
- used as a verb particle, similar to German preposition an (“at, in, on, to”)
Related terms
Preposition
an
- (accounting) to
Anagrams
Pronunciation
- (Thạch An – Tràng Định) IPA(key): [ʔaːn˧˥]
- (Trùng Khánh) IPA(key): [ʔaːn˦]
Etymology 1
Adjective
an (安)
- peaceful; undisturbed
- dú bấu an ― to live unpeacefully
- Mí đảy an slắc vằn.
- I can't have a single peaceful day.
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Verb
an
- to manage to do something; to fend for oneself
- An ý ngòi. ― Manage it.
Etymology 3
Noun
an
References
- Lương Bèn (2011) Từ điển Tày-Việt [Tay-Vietnamese dictionary] (in Vietnamese), Thái Nguyên: Nhà Xuất bản Đại học Thái Nguyên
- Lục Văn Pảo, Hoàng Tuấn Nam (2003) Hoàng Triều Ân, editor, Từ điển chữ Nôm Tày [A Dictionary of (chữ) Nôm Tày] (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Khoa học Xã hội
- Léopold Michel Cadière (1910) Dictionnaire Tày-Annamite-Français [Tày-Vietnamese-French Dictionary] (in French), Hanoi: Impressions d'Extrême-Orient
Etymology
From Proto-Kuki-Chin *ʔan (“vegetables”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *h(y)an.
Noun
an
References
- Zomi Ordbog based on the work of D.L. Haokip
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Ottoman Turkish آن (an), from Arabic آن (ʔān).
Noun
an (definite accusative anı, plural anlar)
- moment
- 1939 February 14, “Acaba İspanyada Krallık iade edilecek mi!”, in Aydin, page 1:
- İnglitere Fransa ile Frankoyu tanımak üzeredir. Bu kararı iki hükümet bir anda ilan edecektir.
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
Declension
More information Inflection, Nominative ...
| Inflection | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | an | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Definite accusative | anı | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Singular | Plural | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nominative | an | anlar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Definite accusative | anı | anları | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dative | ana | anlara | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locative | anda | anlarda | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ablative | andan | anlardan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genitive | anın | anların | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
References
- Kélékian, Diran (1911) “آن”, in Dictionnaire turc-français, Constantinople: Mihran, page 38
- Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “an”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
Etymology 2
Verb
an
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 安 (“tranquil”). The character can also be read as yên, a form of probable Northern origin.
Pronunciation
Romanization
an
- Sino-Vietnamese reading of 安
Derived terms
Derived terms
Anagrams
Etymology
From Proto-Central Philippine *aŋ. Cognate with Cebuano ang, Hiligaynon ang, Tagalog ang, Bikol Central an.
Further etymology is debated; some have theorized a relationship to Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *a (“direct marker”), from Proto-Austronesian *a (“direct marker”) with the addition of an unclear nasal suffix. Compare Kapampangan ing.
Pronunciation
Particle
an
- direct marker for all general nouns other than personal proper nouns
- Midalagan an lalaki paingon ha baybayon.
- The man ran towards the shore.
- Gikaon han iring an isda.
- The cat ate the fish.
Usage notes
- This particle is analyzed as the definite article (i.e., the) when used alone, and the indefinite article (i.e., a or an) when used with the numeral "usa" plus "ka" that quantifies an object/object that it modifies.
- An adlaw.
- The sun.
- An usa ka tawo.
- A person.
- Specific nouns are marked with "si".
- Direct personal proper nouns (primarily names) are marked with "si".
Etymology 1
From Middle English an, from Old English and, ond, end, from Proto-Germanic *andi, *anþi.
Alternative forms
Pronunciation
Conjunction
an
- and
- 1867, GLOSSARY OF THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 31:
- Coardhed an recoardhed.
- Searched and researched.
Etymology 2
Preposition
an
- Alternative form of on
- 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 84:
- Lidge w'ouse an a milagh, tis gaay an louthee:
- Lie with us on the clover, 'tis fair and sheltered:
References
- Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867
Pronunciation
Pronoun
an
- him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a high-tone /ã/)
Pronoun
án
- him, her, it (third-person singular non-honorific object pronoun following a monosyllabic verb with a low- or mid-tone /ã/)
See also
More information singular, plural or honorific ...
Close
Affirmative subject pronouns
More information singular, plural or honorific ...
Close
Negative subject pronouns
More information singular, plural or honorific ...
| singular | plural or honorific | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person | mi | wa |
| 2nd person | ọ / ẹ | yín |
| 3rd person | [preceding vowel repeated for monosyllabic verbs] / ẹ̀ | wọn |
Close
Object pronouns
Note: except for yín, object pronouns have a high tone following a low or mid tone monosyllabic verb, and a mid tone following a high tone. For complex verbs, the tone does not change.
More information singular, plural or honorific ...
Close
Emphatic pronouns
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