English

Indefinite article

an

1. Used when the noun may refer to one of several possibilities; an egg could be any of several, while the egg refers to a specific egg.
2. In each; to or for each

   I was only going twenty miles an hour

   The consultant was paid $1000 a day.

Etymology

Shortened form of an Anglo-Saxon ān (one). See One

Usage Note

The alternate form a is used before consonants. This rule refers to pronunciation, not spelling, so

• a dog
• an egg
• an hour (h is not pronounced)
• a hog (h is pronounced)
• a yak (y counts as a consonant)
• a user (u is pronounced as yu)
• an umbrella
• a woman (w counts as a consonant)
• a one (pronouced the same as "won")
• an onion

There is one occasional exception. The form an is sometimes used before h even when the h is pronounced. The usual example is an historic occasion. Though current in some dialects that pronounce the h, this is considered by many to be affected or pedantic.

Noun

an

1. Name of the first letter of the Georgian alpahabet.

Conjunction

an

1. (Archaic) If, so long as

   An it please you, my lord.

Translations

• Esperanto: indifinite article: not translated; conjunction: se
• Fijian: e dua na

Brithenig

Noun

an m

1. a year

French

Noun

an m

1. a year

Synonym

• année

Irish

===Pronunciation===; between consonants [ə]

Definite article

Form of the definite article used in the following cases:

nominative singular masculine (attaches t- to a vowel, e.g. an t-uisce 'the water')

nominative singular feminine (triggers lenition , e.g. an bhean 'the woman')

genitive singular masculine (triggers lenition , e.g. an pháiste 'of the child')

dative singular masculine and feminine (triggers eclipsis , e.g. ag an gcailín 'at the girl')

Interrogative particle

Used to form direct and indirect questions; triggers eclipsis ; takes the dependent form (when available) of irregular verbs.

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

Turkish

Noun

an

1. moment