an
English
Pronunciation
- (stressed)
- IPA(key): /æn/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -æn
- (unstressed)
- IPA(key): /ən/
Audio (US), unstressed in the phrase "an egg" (file)
- Homophone: in (in some accents)
Etymology 1
From Old English ān.
Article
an (indefinite)
- Form of a (all article senses).
- Used before a vowel sound.
- 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 2, in The Celebrity:
- 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.
-
- (now quite rare) Used before /h/ in an unstressed syllable.
- (nonstandard) Used before /h/ in a stressed syllable.
- Used before a vowel sound.
Usage notes
- 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 an h-sound, 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]
- In the other direction, a can rarely be found before a vowel in nonstandard (often dialectal) speech and written representations thereof, as in "ain't this a innerestin sitchation" (Moira Young, Blood Red Road).
- The various article senses of a are all senses of an.
Translations
|
|
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).
Etymology 2
From Middle English an.
Conjunction
an
- (archaic) If
- 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act I Scene 2:
- […] An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.
- 1886-88, Richard F. Burton, The Supplemental Nights to the Thousand Nights and a Night:
- 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."
- 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act I Scene 2:
- (archaic) So long as.
- An it harm none, do what ye will.
- (archaic) As if; as though.
- 1797, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere (original version), 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.
- 1797, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere (original version), 61-64:
Translations
Noun
an (plural ans)
Etymology 4
From the Old English an, on (preposition).
Usage notes
- This is the same as the word a in such contexts, modified because of preceding an unpronounced h. The train was speeding along at a mile a minute.
Synonyms
Translations
References
- an in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
Arin
Bourguignon
Derived terms
- annaie
Chuukese
Related terms
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 |
Cimbrian
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.
Declension
Cimbrian indefinite articles | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | ||
Nominative | an | an | an | |
Accusative | an | an | an | |
Dative | aname | anara | aname |
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
Cornish
Crimean Tatar
Declension
nominative | an |
---|---|
genitive | anniñ |
dative | ange |
accusative | anni |
locative | ande |
ablative | anden |
Danish
Emilian
French
Etymology
From Old French, from Latin annus, from Proto-Italic *atnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et-no-, probably from *h₂et- (“to go”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɑ̃/
audio (file)
Synonyms
Further reading
- “an” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
German
Etymology
From Old High German ana.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /an/
audio (file) - Rhymes: -an
Preposition
an (+ 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) on; in; at
- Am Dienstag. ― On Tuesday.
- (temporal) a; per; only used with the word Tag (“day”), otherwise use in
- zweimal am Tag ― twice a day
an (+ accusative)
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 can contract to am (“on the”).
- When followed by the neuter definite article in the accusative case (i.e. das (“the”)), the two words can contract to ans (“on the”).
Derived terms
- anhin
- wohlan, wolan
- (an + dem) am
Gothic
Haitian Creole
Usage notes
Use this word when:
Ido
Etymology
Borrowed from English on, German an. Decision no. 759, Progreso V.
Preposition
an
Derived terms
- dorso an dorso (“back to back”)
- an-
Irish
Etymology 1
From Old Irish in, from Proto-Celtic *sindos.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ənˠ/, (between consonants) /ə/, (before a/á, o/ó, u/ú) /ə.nˠ-/, (before e/é, i/í) /ə.n̠ʲ-/
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
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; 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) and eclipsis otherwise (varies by dialect) E: Triggers eclipsis H: Triggers h-prothesis L: Triggers lenition (except of d, t; s lenites to ts) T: Triggers t-prothesis |
Pronunciation
Particle 1
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 2
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
Simple copular forms
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Compound copular forms
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v Used before vowel sounds |
Verb
an (present analytic anann, future analytic anfaidh, verbal noun anacht, past participle anta)
- (transitive, intransitive) Alternative form of fan (“stay, wait, remain”)
Conjugation
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*; a n-anas* |
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‡ |
d'antá / antᇠ|
d'anadh sé, sí / anadh sé, sí‡ |
d'anaimis; d'anadh muid / anaimis; anadh muid‡ |
d'anadh sibh / anadh sibh‡ |
d'anaidís; d'anadh siad / anaidís; anadh siad‡ |
a d'anadh / ar anadh* |
d'antaí / antaí‡ | |
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*; a n-anfas* |
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 / ar 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 |
* Indirect relative
† Archaic or dialect form
‡ Dependent form
‡‡ Dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis (except an)
Mutation
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. |
Further reading
- "an" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
- “in” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
- Entries containing “an” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
- Entries containing “an” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.
Latin
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, Proto-Slavic *onъ.[1]
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /an/
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
Loniu
References
- Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, Meredith Osmond, The Lexicon of Proto-Oceanic →ISBN, 2007)
- Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (as ʔan)
Low German
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -an
- IPA(key): /an/, /aːn/, /ɒːn/, /ɔːn/
Inflection
Neither the spelling nor grammar of these forms applies to all, or even necessarily the majority, of dialects.
Luxembourgish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /an/, [ɑn]
- Rhymes: -ɑn
Etymology 1
From Old High German indi.
Etymology 2
From Proto-Germanic *in.
Mandarin
Romanization
an
Usage notes
- English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English in.
Etymology 2
From Old English and.
Etymology 3
From Old English an.
Middle French
Etymology
From Old French an, from Latin annus.
Norman
Etymology
From Old French an, from Latin annus.
Pronunciation
Audio (Jersey) (file)
Synonyms
Derived terms
- Jour dé l'An (“New Year's Day”)
- Nouvel An (“New Year”)
- tchu d'l'an (“last day of the year”)
Occitan
Etymology 1
From Old Occitan an, from Latin annus.
Usage notes
- Also used with the verb aver (“to have”) to indicate age
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the main entry.
Old English
Alternative forms
- ǣn
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *ainaz, from Proto-Indo-European *óynos. Germanic cognates include Old Frisian ān, Old Saxon ēn, Dutch een, Old High German ein (German ein), Old Norse einn (Swedish en), Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍃 (ains). The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin ūnus, Ancient Greek οἶος (oîos), Old Irish oen.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɑːn/
Numeral
ān
- (cardinal) one
- c. 893 C.E., Alfred the Great (uncertain), transl., chapter IX, in Joseph Bosworth, editor, King Alfred’s Anglo-Saxon Version of The Compendious History of the World, London: Longman, translation of Historiae Adversus Paganos by Orosius, published 1859, book IV, page 92:
- […] án wæs on Ispania ; oþer on Mæcedonia ; þridde on Capadotia ; feorðe æt ham wið Hannibal ; and hí eac oftost geflymde wurdon, and gesbismrade.
- One was in Spain; another in Macedonia; a third in Cappadocia; a fourth at home against Hannibal; and they were also very often put to flight and disgraced.
-
Declension
Usage notes
As in modern English, usage doubles as both a numeral and a pronoun.
Old French
Related terms
- anee
Old Irish
Pronoun
an (triggers eclipsis, takes a leniting relative clause)
- Alternative form of a
- c. 875, 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. 875, 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
Old Occitan
Romanian
Etymology
From Latin annus (“year”), from Proto-Italic *atnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et-no-, probably from *h₂et- (“to go”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [an]
Declension
Romansch
Scots
Etymology
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”). Cognate with English and (“and”), North Frisian en (“and”), West Frisian en, in (“and”), Low German un (“and”), Dutch en (“and”), German und (“and”), Danish end (“but”), Swedish än (“yet, but”), Icelandic enn (“still, yet”), Albanian edhe (“and”) (dialectal ênde, ênne), ende (“still, yet, therefore”), Latin ante (“opposite, in front of”), and Ancient Greek ἀντί (antí, “opposite, facing”).
Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /an/, /ən/
Usage notes
- This form of possessive pronoun is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where am is used instead.
Etymology 2
From Old Irish i, from Proto-Celtic *en.
Usage notes
- This form is not used before nouns beginning with b, f, m or p, where ann am is used instead.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- The following prepositional pronouns (or ‘conjugated prepositions’):
Person | Number | Prepositional pronoun | Prepositional pronoun (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 |
Usage notes
This is the most common singular form. The most common plural form is na. For other forms and their specific uses, see pages listed in "See also" below.
References
- Faclair Gàidhlig Dwelly Air Loidhne, Dwelly, Edward (1911), Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan/The Illustrated [Scottish] Gaelic-English Dictionary (10th ed.), Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
- “2 a” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
- “i” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
- “in” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
Siraya
Swedish
Related terms
- gå an
- komma an
- lägga an
- ta sig an
Turkish
Declension
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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Vietnamese
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 安 (“tranquil”).
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [ʔaːn˧˧]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [ʔaːŋ˧˧]
- (Hồ Chí Minh City) IPA(key): [ʔaːŋ˧˧]
Vilamovian
Pronunciation
Audio (file)