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)

on, over
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.
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
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
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
Personal-pronoun- including forms	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)

(transitive) to climb.

Conjugation

Conjugation of

عَلَى

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

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

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 (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

Egyptian Arabic

Alternative forms

ع (ʕa-)

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕala/

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

on, upon

Inflection

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

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕala/

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

on, over
Synonym: عَـ (ʕa, “on, over”)

حتلاقيه على الرف/عالرف
ḥatlāgī ʕala al-raff/ʕal-raff
You will find it on rack
against
يوم ليك و يوم عليك
yōm līk u yōm ʕalēk
one day for you, and one day against you
despite

Inflection

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

Moroccan Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕla/

Preposition

على • (ʕla)

on; upon; onto
against
expresses obligation

Inflection

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

North Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

ع (ʕa-)

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

on; upon; onto
(by extension) with a hint of
about (a topic)
to (a place)
عم نسافر ع بيروت
ʕam nsāfir ʕa bayrūt
We’re travelling to Beirut.
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

على

Prepositions of location

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

Alternative forms

Shortened form: عـ (ʕa-)

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕa.la/,
Audio (Ramallah) (file)

Preposition

على • (ʕala)

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?”)
(location) on, onto, over
Synonym: فوق (fōʔ, “above”)

حطّ ه عالطاولة.
ḥoṭṭo ʕaṭ-ṭāwle
Put it on the table.
(time) at, on
خلّينا نلتقي على ساعة ستّة.
ḵallīna niltʔi ʕala sāʕa sitte
Let's meet at six o'clock.
(auxiliary) must, should
Synonym: لازم (lāzem)

قرّرنا نعمل اللي علينا و نتّكل 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
Personal-pronoun- including forms	m	f	plural
1^st person	عليّ (ʕalayy)		علينا (ʕalēna)
2^nd person	عليك (ʕalēk)	عليك (ʕalēki)	عليكم (ʕalēkom)
3^rd person	عليه (ʕalē)	عليها (ʕalēha)	عليهم (ʕalēhom)

Etymology 2

Root
ع ل ي
4 terms

From Arabic عَلَّى (ʕallā).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʕal.la/,
Audio (al-Lidd) (file)

Verb

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

to raise (the volume, one's voice, etc.)
Antonym: وطّى (waṭṭa)

Conjugation

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

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