على

على

See also: علي‎, علی‎, غلى‎, and غلي‎

Arabic

Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.laː/

• Audio

  (file)

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

Preposition

عَلَى • (ʿalā)

1. on, over
2. against

   ‏يَوْمٌ لَكَ وَيَوْمٌ عَلَيْكَ‎‎

   yawmun laka wayawmun ʿalayka

   one day for you, and one day against you

   ‏سَجَّلَ ٱللَّاعِبُ خَمْسَةَ أَهْدَافٍ عَلَى خَصْمِهِ‎

   sajjala l-lāʿibu ḵamsata ʾahdāfin ʿalā 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 ʿalā r-rasūli ʾillā 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-ʾinna rabbaka laḏū maḡfiratin li-n-nāsi ʿalā 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 ʾinnī ʾurīdu ʾan ʾunkiḥaka ʾiḥdā bnatayya hātayni ʿalā ʾan taʾjuranī 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 (ʿalā)
Personal-pronoun- including forms	Singular		Dual	Plural
	Masculine	Feminine	Common	Masculine	Feminine
First person	عَلَيَّ‎ (ʿalayya)			عَلَيْنَا‎ (ʿalaynā)
Second person	عَلَيْكَ‎ (ʿalayka)	عَلَيْكِ‎ (ʿalayki)	عَلَيْكُمَا‎ (ʿalaykumā)	عَلَيْكُمْ‎ (ʿalaykum)	عَلَيْكُنَّ‎ (ʿalaykunna)
Third person	عَلَيْهِ‎ (ʿalayhi)	عَلَيْهَا‎ (ʿalayhā)	عَلَيْهِمَا‎ (ʿalayhimā)	عَلَيْهِمْ‎ (ʿalayhim)	عَلَيْهِنَّ‎ (ʿalayhinna)

Antonyms

• (against): لِـ‎ (li-)

Related terms

• ٱللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ‎ (allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa-ʾāli muḥammadin)
• صَلَّى ٱللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ‎ (ṣallā llāhu ʿalayhī wa-ʾālihī wa-sallama)
• عَلَيْهِ ٱلصَّلَاةُ وَٱلسَّلَامُ‎ (ʿalayhi ṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu)
• عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ‎ (ʿalayhi s-salāmu)
• سَلَامُ ٱللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ‎ (salāmu llāhi ʿalayhi)

Descendants

• Maltese: għal

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

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

Etymology 2

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.laː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophone: عَلَا‎ (ʿalā)

Verb

عَلَى • (ʿalā) I, non-past يَعْلِي‎‎ (yaʿlī)

1. (transitive) to climb.

Conjugation

Conjugation of

عَلَى

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

verbal noun الْمَصْدَر						عَلْي‎ ʿaly
active participle اِسْم الْفَاعِل						عَالٍ‎ ʿālin
passive participle اِسْم الْمَفْعُول						مَعْلِيّ‎ maʿliyy
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 ʿalaytu	عَلَيْتَ‎ ʿalayta	عَلَى ʿalā		عَلَيْتُمَا‎ ʿalaytumā	عَلَيَا‎ ʿalayā		عَلَيْنَا‎ ʿalaynā	عَلَيْتُمْ‎ ʿalaytum	عَلَوْا‎ ʿalaw
	f		عَلَيْتِ‎ ʿalayti	عَلَتْ‎ ʿalat			عَلَتَا‎ ʿalatā			عَلَيْتُنَّ‎ ʿalaytunna	عَلَيْنَ‎ ʿalayna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أَعْلِي‎ ʾaʿlī	تَعْلِي‎ taʿlī	يَعْلِي‎ yaʿlī		تَعْلِيَانِ‎ taʿliyāni	يَعْلِيَانِ‎ yaʿliyāni		نَعْلِي‎ naʿlī	تَعْلُونَ‎ taʿlūna	يَعْلُونَ‎ yaʿlūna
	f		تَعْلِينَ‎ taʿlīna	تَعْلِي‎ taʿlī			تَعْلِيَانِ‎ taʿliyāni			تَعْلِينَ‎ taʿlīna	يَعْلِينَ‎ yaʿlīna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أَعْلِيَ‎ ʾaʿliya	تَعْلِيَ‎ taʿliya	يَعْلِيَ‎ yaʿliya		تَعْلِيَا‎ taʿliyā	يَعْلِيَا‎ yaʿliyā		نَعْلِيَ‎ naʿliya	تَعْلُوا‎ taʿlū	يَعْلُوا‎ yaʿlū
	f		تَعْلِي‎ taʿlī	تَعْلِيَ‎ taʿliya			تَعْلِيَا‎ taʿliyā			تَعْلِينَ‎ taʿlīna	يَعْلِينَ‎ yaʿlīna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أَعْلِ‎ ʾaʿli	تَعْلِ‎ taʿli	يَعْلِ‎ yaʿli		تَعْلِيَا‎ taʿliyā	يَعْلِيَا‎ yaʿliyā		نَعْلِ‎ naʿli	تَعْلُوا‎ taʿlū	يَعْلُوا‎ yaʿlū
	f		تَعْلِي‎ taʿlī	تَعْلِ‎ taʿli			تَعْلِيَا‎ taʿliyā			تَعْلِينَ‎ taʿlīna	يَعْلِينَ‎ yaʿlīna
imperative الْأَمْر	m		اِعْلِ‎ iʿli			اِعْلِيَا‎ iʿliyā				اِعْلُوا‎ iʿlū
	f		اِعْلِي‎ iʿlī							اِعْلِينَ‎ iʿlīna
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 ʿulītu	عُلِيتَ‎ ʿulīta	عُلِيَ‎ ʿuliya		عُلِيتُمَا‎ ʿulītumā	عُلِيَا‎ ʿuliyā		عُلِينَا‎ ʿulīnā	عُلِيتُمْ‎ ʿulītum	عُلُوا‎ ʿulū
	f		عُلِيتِ‎ ʿulīti	عُلِيَتْ‎ ʿuliyat			عُلِيَتَا‎ ʿuliyatā			عُلِيتُنَّ‎ ʿulītunna	عُلِينَ‎ ʿulīna
non-past (imperfect) indicative الْمُضَارِع الْمَرْفُوع	m	أُعْلَى‎ ʾuʿlā	تُعْلَى‎ tuʿlā	يُعْلَى‎ yuʿlā		تُعْلَيَانِ‎ tuʿlayāni	يُعْلَيَانِ‎ yuʿlayāni		نُعْلَى‎ nuʿlā	تُعْلَوْنَ‎ tuʿlawna	يُعْلَوْنَ‎ yuʿlawna
	f		تُعْلَيْنَ‎ tuʿlayna	تُعْلَى‎ tuʿlā			تُعْلَيَانِ‎ tuʿlayāni			تُعْلَيْنَ‎ tuʿlayna	يُعْلَيْنَ‎ yuʿlayna
subjunctive الْمُضَارِع الْمَنْصُوب	m	أُعْلَى‎ ʾuʿlā	تُعْلَى‎ tuʿlā	يُعْلَى‎ yuʿlā		تُعْلَيَا‎ tuʿlayā	يُعْلَيَا‎ yuʿlayā		نُعْلَى‎ nuʿlā	تُعْلَوْا‎ tuʿlaw	يُعْلَوْا‎ yuʿlaw
	f		تُعْلَيْ‎ tuʿlay	تُعْلَى‎ tuʿlā			تُعْلَيَا‎ tuʿlayā			تُعْلَيْنَ‎ tuʿlayna	يُعْلَيْنَ‎ yuʿlayna
jussive الْمُضَارِع الْمَجْزُوم	m	أُعْلَ‎ ʾuʿla	تُعْلَ‎ tuʿla	يُعْلَ‎ yuʿla		تُعْلَيَا‎ tuʿlayā	يُعْلَيَا‎ yuʿlayā		نُعْلَ‎ nuʿla	تُعْلَوْا‎ tuʿlaw	يُعْلَوْا‎ yuʿlaw
	f		تُعْلَيْ‎ tuʿlay	تُعْلَ‎ tuʿla			تُعْلَيَا‎ tuʿlayā			تُعْلَيْنَ‎ tuʿlayna	يُعْلَيْنَ‎ yuʿlayna

Etymology 3

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕu.lan/

Adjective

عُلًى • (ʿulan) f pl

1. feminine plural of أَعْلَى‎ (ʾaʿlā)

References

• Freytag, Georg (1835), “على”, in Lexicon arabico-latinum praesertim ex Djeuharii Firuzabadiique et aliorum Arabum operibus adhibitis Golii quoque et aliorum libris confectum (in Latin), volume 3, Halle: C. A. Schwetschke, page 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 (in French), volume 2, Paris: Maisonneuve et C^ie, page 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, page 746–750

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Egyptian Arabic

Alternative forms

• ع‎ (ʕa-)

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى‎ (ʿalā).

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)

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Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى‎ (ʿalā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕala/

Preposition

على • (ʿala)

1. on, over

   Synonym: عَـ‎ (ʿa, “on, over”)

   ‏حتلاقيه على الرف/عالرف‎

   ḥatlāgī ʿala al-raff/ʿal-raff

   You will find it on rack

2. against

   ‏يوم ليك و يوم عليك‎

   yōm līk u yōm ʿalēk

   one day for you, and one day against you

3. despite

Inflection

Inflected forms of على
Base form					على‎ (ʿala)
Personal-pronoun- including forms		singular		plural
		m	f
1st person		عَلَيّ‎ (ʿalayya)		علينا‎ (ʿalēna)
2nd person		عليك‎ (ʿalēk)	عليكي‎ (ʿalēki)	عليكم‎ (ʿalēkum)
3rd person		عليه‎ (ʿalē)	عليها‎ (ʿalēha)	عليهم‎ (ʿalēhum)

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Moroccan Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى‎ (ʿalā).

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)

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North Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• ع‎ (ʕa-)

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى‎ (ʿalā).

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”)

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South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

From Arabic عَلَى‎ (ʿalā).

Alternative forms

• Shortened form: عـ‎ (ʕa-)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.la/, [ˈʕa.la]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Preposition

Picture dictionary
على فوق تحت بـ/ في قدام ورا على جنب بين
Prepositions of location

على • (ʕala)

1. to, toward

   ‏الختيار راحعالمستشفى.‎‎

   il-ḵityār rāḥ ʕal-mustašfa

   The old man went to the hospital.

   ‏إمّي دخلتعالبيت.‎‎

   ʔimmi daḵlat ʕal-bēt

   My mother went into the house.

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

   ‏قدّيش دفعتعليه؟‎‎

   ʔaddēš dafaʕt ʕalēh

   How much did you pay for it?

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

   Antonym: من‎ (min)

2. (location) on, onto, over

   Synonym: فوق‎ (fōʔ, “above”)

   ‏حطّهعالطاولة.‎‎

   ḥoṭṭo ʕaṭ-ṭāwle

   Put it on the table.

3. (time) at, on

   ‏خلّينا نلتقيعلى ساعة ستّة.‎‎

   ḵallīna niltʔi ʕala sāʕa sitte

   Let's meet at six o'clock.

4. (auxiliary) must, should

   Synonym: لازم‎ (lāzem)

   ‏قرّرنا نعمل الليعلينا ونتّكلعلى ربّنا.‎‎

   ʔarrarna niʕmil illi ʕalēna w nittakil ʕala rabbna

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

   ‏إليعليك 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

From Arabic عَلَّى‎ (ʿallā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕal.la/, [ˈʕal.la]

• Audio (al-Lidd)

  (file)

Verb

علّى • (ʕalla) (form 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)