a

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[a]

1. feminine noun The letter a.

2. definite article determiner, feminine singular The.

3. personal pronoun, feminine singular Her, it (for accusative or direct object).

Spelling (2-3): Before words beginning with a vowel or h-, it turns into al’, with word ligature (both words are written together without intermediate spaces). For feminine plural: as; for masculine forms, see ou (1).

Etymology (2-3): From Latin illa, via Spanish la and Portuguese and Galician a.

4. preposition To (direction). Example: Nos vadèms a Franza, we are going to France.

5. preposition On, by (way of doing something). Example: Vadeirems a pez, we went on foot.

6. preposition To (marker of the indirect object of a sentence). Example: J’heh tendat dou sac a ma mara, I have bought this bag to my mother.

7. preposition Without translation (marker of the direct object of a sentence when it comes before the subject, including relative clauses). Example: Marja ame Paul = A Paul ame Marja, Mary loves Paul.

8. preposition On, at (situation). Example: A mensa eh ad a dreta dou llet, the table is on the right side of the bed.

9. preposition To, until (when talking about distance or time, in opposition to de). Example: Jo
virc de nou a cinc, I work from nine to five.

10. preposition At (for times and specific moments). Example: Cat dïe jo llewe-mi ad as seit, I get up every day at seven.

Spelling (4-10): Before words beginning with a vowel or h-, it turns into ad.

Etymology (4-10): From Latin ad.

False friends: a (English) = ũ.