على

See also: علي, علی, غلى, and غلي

Arabic

Root
ع ل ي (ʕ-l-y)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Semitic *ʕalay- (“on, over”). Cognate with Akkadian 𒌋𒅗 (eli), Hebrew עַל ('al), עֲלֵי ('aléi), Aramaic עַל (ʿal).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.laː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aː, -laː
• Homophone: عَلَا (ʕalā)

Preposition

عَلَى • (ʕalā)

1. on, over
2. against

   يَوْمٌ لَكَ وَيَوْمٌ عَلَيْكَ

   yawmun laka wayawmun ʕalayka

   one day for you, and one day against you

   سَجَّلَ ٱللَّاعِبُ خَمْسَةَ أَهْدَافٍ عَلَى خَصْمِهِ

   sajjala l-lāʕibu ḵamsata ʔahdāfin ʕalā ḵaṣmihi

   The player scored five goals against his opponent.

3. expresses obligation
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 24:54:

     وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ

     wamā ʕalā r-rasūli ʔillā l-balāḡu l-mubīnu

     And the Messenger's only duty is to deliver messages clearly

4. despite
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 13:6:

     وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ

     wa-ʔinna rabbaka laḏū maḡfiratin li-n-nāsi ʕalā ẓulmihim

     And indeed, your Lord is full of forgiveness for the people despite their wrongdoing

5. on condition, provided
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 28:27:

     قَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنْكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ٱبْنَتَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ عَلَى أَن تَأْجُرَنِي ثَمَانِيَ حِجَجٍ

     qāla ʔinnī ʔurīdu ʔan ʔunkiḥaka ʔiḥdā bnatayya hātayni ʕalā ʔan taʔjuranī ṯamāniya ḥijajin

     He said, "Indeed, I wish to wed you one of these, my two daughters, on the condition that you serve me for eight years,"

Inflection

Inflected forms
Base form					عَلَى (ʕalā)
Personal-pronoun- including forms	Singular		Dual	Plural
	Masculine	Feminine	Common	Masculine	Feminine
First person	عَلَيَّ (ʕalayya)		عَلَيْنَا (ʕalaynā)
Second person	عَلَيْكَ (ʕalayka)	عَلَيْكِ (ʕalayki)	عَلَيْكُمَا (ʕalaykumā)	عَلَيْكُمْ (ʕalaykum)	عَلَيْكُنَّ (ʕalaykunna)
Third person	عَلَيْهِ (ʕalayhi)	عَلَيْهَا (ʕalayhā)	عَلَيْهِمَا (ʕalayhimā)	عَلَيْهِمْ (ʕalayhim)	عَلَيْهِنَّ (ʕalayhinna)

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “against”): لِـ (li-)

Related terms

• بِنَاءاً عَلَيْهْ (bināʔan ʕalayh)
• صَلَّى ٱللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ (ṣallā llāhu ʕalayhī wa-ʔālihī wa-sallama)
• عَلَيْهِ ٱلصَّلَاةُ وَٱلسَّلَامُ (ʕalayhi ṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu)
• عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ (ʕalayhi s-salāmu)
• سَلَامُ ٱللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ (salāmu llāhi ʕalayhi)
• عَلَامَ (ʕalāma)

Descendants

• Maltese: għal

(via third-person singular masculine form عَلَيْهِ (ʕalayhi)):

• → Azerbaijani: əleyh
• → Persian: علیه ('aleyh)
• → Uzbek: alayh

Etymology 2

Morphologically from the root ع ل ي (ʕ-l-y).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.laː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophone: عَلَا (ʕalā)

Verb

عَلَى • (ʕalā) I, non-past يَعْلِي‎ (yaʕlī)

1. (transitive) to climb.

Conjugation

Conjugation of

عَلَى

(form-I final-weak, verbal noun عَلْي)

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						عَلْي ʕaly
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						عَالٍ ʕālin
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَعْلِيّ maʕliyy
active voice الْفِعْل الْمَعْلُوم
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	عَلَيْتُ ʕalaytu	عَلَيْتَ ʕalayta	عَلَى ʕalā		عَلَيْتُمَا ʕalaytumā	عَلَيَا ʕalayā		عَلَيْنَا ʕalaynā	عَلَيْتُمْ ʕalaytum	عَلَوْا ʕalaw
	f		عَلَيْتِ ʕalayti	عَلَتْ ʕalat			عَلَتَا ʕalatā			عَلَيْتُنَّ ʕalaytunna	عَلَيْنَ ʕalayna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَعْلِي ʔaʕlī	تَعْلِي taʕlī	يَعْلِي yaʕlī		تَعْلِيَانِ taʕliyāni	يَعْلِيَانِ yaʕliyāni		نَعْلِي naʕlī	تَعْلُونَ taʕlūna	يَعْلُونَ yaʕlūna
	f		تَعْلِينَ taʕlīna	تَعْلِي taʕlī			تَعْلِيَانِ taʕliyāni			تَعْلِينَ taʕlīna	يَعْلِينَ yaʕlīna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَعْلِيَ ʔaʕliya	تَعْلِيَ taʕliya	يَعْلِيَ yaʕliya		تَعْلِيَا taʕliyā	يَعْلِيَا yaʕliyā		نَعْلِيَ naʕliya	تَعْلُوا taʕlū	يَعْلُوا yaʕlū
	f		تَعْلِي taʕlī	تَعْلِيَ taʕliya			تَعْلِيَا taʕliyā			تَعْلِينَ taʕlīna	يَعْلِينَ yaʕlīna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَعْلِ ʔaʕli	تَعْلِ taʕli	يَعْلِ yaʕli		تَعْلِيَا taʕliyā	يَعْلِيَا yaʕliyā		نَعْلِ naʕli	تَعْلُوا taʕlū	يَعْلُوا yaʕlū
	f		تَعْلِي taʕlī	تَعْلِ taʕli			تَعْلِيَا taʕliyā			تَعْلِينَ taʕlīna	يَعْلِينَ yaʕlīna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِعْلِ iʕli			اِعْلِيَا iʕliyā				اِعْلُوا iʕlū
	f		اِعْلِي iʕlī							اِعْلِينَ iʕlīna
passive voice الْفِعْل الْمَجْهُول
		singular الْمُفْرَد				dual الْمُثَنَّى			plural الْجَمْع
		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب		1st person الْمُتَكَلِّم	2nd person الْمُخَاطَب	3rd person الْغَائِب
past (perfect) indicative الْمَاضِي	m	عُلِيتُ ʕulītu	عُلِيتَ ʕulīta	عُلِيَ ʕuliya		عُلِيتُمَا ʕulītumā	عُلِيَا ʕuliyā		عُلِينَا ʕulīnā	عُلِيتُمْ ʕulītum	عُلُوا ʕulū
	f		عُلِيتِ ʕulīti	عُلِيَتْ ʕuliyat			عُلِيَتَا ʕuliyatā			عُلِيتُنَّ ʕulītunna	عُلِينَ ʕulīna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُعْلَى ʔuʕlā	تُعْلَى tuʕlā	يُعْلَى yuʕlā		تُعْلَيَانِ tuʕlayāni	يُعْلَيَانِ yuʕlayāni		نُعْلَى nuʕlā	تُعْلَوْنَ tuʕlawna	يُعْلَوْنَ yuʕlawna
	f		تُعْلَيْنَ tuʕlayna	تُعْلَى tuʕlā			تُعْلَيَانِ tuʕlayāni			تُعْلَيْنَ tuʕlayna	يُعْلَيْنَ yuʕlayna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُعْلَى ʔuʕlā	تُعْلَى tuʕlā	يُعْلَى yuʕlā		تُعْلَيَا tuʕlayā	يُعْلَيَا yuʕlayā		نُعْلَى nuʕlā	تُعْلَوْا tuʕlaw	يُعْلَوْا yuʕlaw
	f		تُعْلَيْ tuʕlay	تُعْلَى tuʕlā			تُعْلَيَا tuʕlayā			تُعْلَيْنَ tuʕlayna	يُعْلَيْنَ yuʕlayna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُعْلَ ʔuʕla	تُعْلَ tuʕla	يُعْلَ yuʕla		تُعْلَيَا tuʕlayā	يُعْلَيَا yuʕlayā		نُعْلَ nuʕla	تُعْلَوْا tuʕlaw	يُعْلَوْا yuʕlaw
	f		تُعْلَيْ tuʕlay	تُعْلَ tuʕla			تُعْلَيَا tuʕlayā			تُعْلَيْنَ tuʕlayna	يُعْلَيْنَ yuʕlayna

Etymology 3

Morphologically from the root ع ل ي (ʕ-l-y).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕu.lan/

Adjective

عُلًى • (ʕulan) f pl

1. feminine plural of أَعْلَى (ʔaʕlā)

References

• Freytag, Georg (1835) “على”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum‎^[1] (in Latin), volume 3, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, pages 215–216
• Kazimirski, Albin de Biberstein (1860) “على”, in Dictionnaire arabe-français contenant toutes les racines de la langue arabe, leurs dérivés, tant dans l’idiome vulgaire que dans l’idiome littéral, ainsi que les dialectes d’Alger et de Maroc‎^[2] (in French), volume 2, Paris: Maisonneuve et C^ie, pages 352–356
• Wehr, Hans (1979) “على”, in J. Milton Cowan, editor, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 4th edition, Ithaca, NY: Spoken Language Services, →ISBN, pages 746–750

Egyptian Arabic

Alternative forms

• ع (ʕa-)

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕala/

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

1. on, upon

Inflection

Inflected forms of على
Base form					على (ʕala)
Personal-pronoun- including forms		singular		plural
		m	f
1st person		علي (ʕalayya)		علينا (ʕalēna)
2nd person		عليك (ʕalēk)	عليك (ʕalēki)	عليكوا (ʕalēku)
3rd person		عليه (ʕalēh)	عليها (ʕalēha)	عليهم (ʕalēhum)

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕala/

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

1. on, over

   Synonym: عَـ (ʕa, “on, over”)

   حتلاقيه على الرف/عالرف

   ḥatlāgī ʕala al-raff/ʕal-raff

   You will find it on rack

2. against

   يوم ليك و يوم عليك

   yōm līk u yōm ʕalēk

   one day for you, and one day against you

3. despite

Inflection

Inflected forms of على
Base form					على (ʕala)
Personal-pronoun- including forms		singular		plural
		m	f
1st person		عَلَيّ (ʕalayya)		علينا (ʕalēna)
2nd person		عليك (ʕalēk)	عليكي (ʕalēki)	عليكم (ʕalēkum)
3rd person		عليه (ʕalē)	عليها (ʕalēha)	عليهم (ʕalēhum)

Moroccan Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕla/

Preposition

على • (ʕla)

1. on; upon; onto
2. against
3. expresses obligation

Inflection

Inflected forms of على
Base form					على (ʕla)
Personal-pronoun- including forms		singular		plural
		m	f
1st person		علي (ʕliyya)		علينا (ʕlīna)
2nd person		عليك (ʕlīk)	عليك (ʕlīki)	عليكم (ʕlīkum)
3rd person		عليه (ʕlīh)	عليها (ʕlīha)	عليهم (ʕlīhum)

North Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• ع (ʕa-)

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

1. on; upon; onto
2. (by extension) with a hint of
3. about (a topic)
4. to (a place)

   عم نسافر ع بيروت

   ʕam nsāfir ʕa bayrūt

   We’re travelling to Beirut.

5. Used with an adjective given the definite article, marking it as an adverb

Usage notes

• The personal forms are built from the stem ʕlay- or ʕalay- as in عليكن (ʕ(a)laykun, “on you”).
• Sense 2 is construed as "A على B"; literally, "A on B". A is the dominant element in such a construction, not B, even though this seems to conflict with a literal reading:
  1. بوظا على جوز

     būẓa ʕala jōz

     walnut-flavored ice cream, or ice cream with walnuts

     (literally, “ice cream on walnuts”)

  2. جوز على بوظا

     jōz ʕala būẓa

     ice-cream-flavored walnuts

     (literally, “walnuts on ice cream”)

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Picture dictionary

على

فوق

تحت

بـ/

في

قدام

ورا

على

جنب

بين

Prepositions of location

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Alternative forms

• Shortened form: عـ (ʕa-)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.la/, [ˈʕa.la]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

1. to, toward

   Antonym: من (min)

   الختيار راح عالمستشفى.

   il-ḵityār rāḥ ʕal-mustašfa

   The old man went to the hospital.

   إمّي دخلت عالبيت.

   ʔimmi daḵlat ʕal-bēt

   My mother went into the house.

   (literally, “My mother entered to the house.”)

   قدّيش دفعت عليه؟

   ʔaddēš dafaʕt ʕalēh

   How much did you pay for it?

   (literally, “How much did you pay toward it?”)

2. (location) on, onto, over

   Synonym: فوق (fōʔ, “above”)

   حطّه عالطاولة.

   ḥoṭṭo ʕaṭ-ṭāwle

   Put it on the table.

3. (time) at, on

   خلّينا نلتقي على ساعة ستّة.

   ḵallīna niltʔi ʕala sāʕa sitte

   Let's meet at six o'clock.

4. (auxiliary) must, should

   Synonym: لازم (lāzem)

   قرّرنا نعمل اللي علينا ونتّكل على ربّنا.

   ʔarrarna niʕmil illi ʕalēna w nittakil ʕala rabbna

   We resolved to do what we must and trust in God.

   إلي عليك ألف شيكل.

   ʔili ʕalēk ʔalf šēkel

   You owe me one thousand shekels.

   (literally, “You must to me one thousand shekels.”)

Inflection

Inflected forms of على
Base form					على (ʕala)
Personal-pronoun- including forms		singular		plural
		m	f
1st person		عليّ (ʕalayy)		علينا (ʕalēna)
2nd person		عليك (ʕalēk)	عليك (ʕalēki)	عليكم (ʕalēkom)
3rd person		عليه (ʕalē)	عليها (ʕalēha)	عليهم (ʕalēhom)

Etymology 2

Root
ع ل ي
4 terms

From Arabic عَلَّى (ʕallā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕal.la/, [ˈʕal.la]

• Audio (al-Lidd)

  (file)

Verb

علّى • (ʕalla) II (present بعلّي (biʕalli))

1. to raise (the volume, one's voice, etc.)

   Antonym: وطّى (waṭṭa)

Conjugation

Conjugation of علّى (ʕalla)
		singular				plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
past	m	علّيت (ʕallēt)	علّيت (ʕallēt)	علّى (ʕalla)		علّينا (ʕallēna)	علّيتو (ʕallētu)	علّو (ʕallu)
	f		علّيتي (ʕallēti)	علّت (ʕallat)
present	m	بعلّي (baʕalli)	بتعلّي (bitʕalli)	بعلّي (biʕalli)		منعلّي (minʕalli)	بتعلّو (bitʕallu)	بعلّو (biʕallu)
	f		بتعلّي (bitʕalli)	بتعلّي (bitʕalli)
subjunctive	m	اعلّي (aʕalli)	تعلّي (tʕalli)	يعلّي (yʕalli)		نعلّي (nʕalli)	تعلّو (tʕallu)	يعلّو (yʕallu)
	f		تعلّي (tʕalli)	تعلّي (tʕalli)
imperative	m		علّي (ʕalli)				علّو (ʕallu)
	f		علّي (ʕalli)