ـا

Persian

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Arabic ـًا (-an).

Suffix

ـاً • (-an)

2. Used to form adverbs from nouns or adjectives.

Usage notes

• This suffix mostly occurs with Arabic loanwords, but it is used somewhat peculiarly in Persian. Firstly, it also written out after words which, in Arabic, end in the feminine suffix ـَة (-a), e.g. نسبتاً (nesbatan, “relatively”). More importantly, it may at times occur with native Persian words and with Arabic words in which the ending would be ungrammatical, e.g. ناچاراً (nâčâran, “inevitably”), زوراً (zuran, “forcefully”), زباناً (zabânan, “orally, verbally”), اقلاً (aqallan, “at least”), اکثراً (aksaran, “mostly”).

Derived terms

Persian terms suffixed with ـا (adverbial)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [.ʔɔː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɒː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɔ]

Readings
Classical reading?
Dari reading?
Iranian reading?
Tajik reading?

Suffix

ـا • (-â)

1. an adjective forming suffix
2. a noun forming suffix

See also

Persian terms suffixed with ـا

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [.ʔɑː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [.ʔɔː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɒː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [.ʔɔ]

Readings
Classical reading?
Dari reading?
Iranian reading?
Tajik reading?

Suffix

ـا • (-â)

2. (chiefly literary) a vocative suffix

   Alternative form: ـیا (-yâ) (following a vowel)

   خداوندا ― xodâvandâ ― O Lord!