अ a

ا a, the first letter of the Arabic, Persian, and Urdū alphabets. Its pronunciation depends on the vowel which accompanies it; e.g. ا with fatḥa (اَ) = the Devanāgarī अ = the English a, as in cedar (or = the English u in fun); ا with kasra (اِ) = the Devanāgarī इ = the English i, as in fin; ا with ẓamma (اُ) = the Devanāgarī उ = the English u, as in bull. — ا with fatḥa, followed by ا, (i.e. اَا, which is usually written آ) = the Devanāgarī आ = the English ā, as in father; ا with fatḥa, followed by the letter و, (i.e. اَو) = the Devanāgarī औ = the English au (sounded like ou in house); ا with fatḥa, followed by the letter ي, (i.e. اَي), = the Devanāgarī ऐ = the English ai, as in aisle. — ا with ẓamma, followed by the letter و, (i.e. اُو), = 1˚, the Devanāgarī ऊ = the English u, as in rule (or = the oo in pool), and, 2˚, = the Devanāgarī ओ = the English o, as in pole. — ا with kasra, followed by ي, (i.e. اِي), = 1˚, the Devanāgarī ई = the English ī, as in caprice; and, 2˚, = the Devanāgarī ए = the French e, as in fête. ا is used, — 1˚ (arithmetically, according to the Abjad, q.v.) for the number one. 2˚ (for अ, in Almanacks and Astrology) for Sunday, and Aries. 3˚ (for अ) as a name of the god Vishnu. 4˚ as an inseparable prefix to a word beginning with a consonant, to signify negation or privation: e.g. aśuddha, 'impure,' 'incorrect.' As in Greek, a becomes an before a vowel; e.g. ananta, 'without end,' 'endless.'