Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
аль. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
аль, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
аль in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
аль you have here. The definition of the word
аль will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
аль, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Mongolian
Etymology
Cognate with Buryat али (ali), Kalmyk аль (alʹ), etc.
Pronunciation
Determiner
аль • (alʹ)
- which; whichever; any
Russian
Pronunciation
Conjunction
аль • (alʹ)
- (archaic, colloquial) shortening of а́ли (áli); or
- Synonyms: а́ли (áli), и́ли (íli), иль (ilʹ), ли́бо (líbo)
- Antonym: и (i)
1872, Фёдор Достоевский [Fyodor Dostoevsky], “Часть 3. Глава 7. Последнее странствование Степана Трофимовича. II”, in Бесы; English translation from Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, transl., Demons, 1994:— Здесь вам не постоя́лый двор, господи́н, мы обе́да для прое́зжих не соде́ржим. Ра́ков свари́ть аль самова́р поста́вить, а бо́льше нет у нас ничего́. Ры́ба све́жая за́втра лишь бу́дет.- — Zdesʹ vam ne postojályj dvor, gospodín, my obéda dlja projézžix ne sodéržim. Rákov svarítʹ alʹ samovár postávitʹ, a bólʹše net u nas ničevó. Rýba svéžaja závtra lišʹ búdet.
- "This isn't an inn, mister, we don't serve dinners for travelers. Some boiled crayfish or a samovar, we have nothing else. There won't be fresh fish till tomorrow."