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# an

«an» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **a small word used before a word that starts with a vowel…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

article (an — the form of «a» before a vowel sound)

### meaning for a pupil

1) An is a small word used before a word that starts with a vowel sound, like an apple, an egg or an hour. It means one. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#m1)

2) In rates «an» means each or per: «60 km an hour», «5 dollars an hour». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#m2)

3) (casual) In quick talk «an» is often swallowed or turned into «a»: «a apple» is heard but wrong in writing. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#m3)

4) (casual) «'n'» or «an'» is a clipped «and»: «fish 'n' chips», «me an' him»; this is a different word. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#m4)

5) (formal, old) Some formal writers still use «an» before a sounded h: «an historic day», «an hotel». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

In school maths: means one of something before a vowel sound; in rates it means «each» or «per», as in «an hour», so the total is rate × time. In everyday reading: «an» shows a new thing in a story, «the» shows one we already know («an owl... the owl»). In casual talk: «an hour» is often «an hr» in texts. In the exam voice: «per hour», «at a rate of 5 dollars per hour». Phrases: «an hour», «an apple a day», «once an hour», «an hour and a half».

### examples

- And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel. (Torah GEN.33.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x1)
- Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah. (Torah EXO.16.36, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x2)
- and the second row a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald; (Torah EXO.28.18, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x3)
- Shall windy words have an end? (Writings JOB.16.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x4)
- Or hast thou an arm like God? (Writings JOB.40.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x5)
- Why are the nations in an uproar? (Writings PSA.2.1, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x6)
- Sam has an apple and 3 pears. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x7)
- A car goes 60 kilometres an hour. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x8)
- She earns 5 dollars an hour. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x9)
- An egg costs 20 cents. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x10)
- An elephant is the biggest land animal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x11)
- We waited for an hour and a half. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x12)
- An owl lived in the tree; the owl hooted all night. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x13)
- It is an honour to meet you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x14)
- been waiting like an hr, where r u (casual) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x15)
- 5 bucks an hour?? that's a rip-off (casual) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x16)
- An 8 and an 18 are both even. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x17)
- Remuneration is at a rate of 5 dollars per hour; compute the earnings for a period of 6 hours. (formal exam) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x18)
- Then an idea came to him. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/#x19)

### note

Use «an» before a vowel sound, not just a vowel letter: «an hour», «an honest boy» (silent h), but «a uniform», «a one-way street» (they start with a «y» or «w» sound). Numbers follow the sound: «an 8», «an 11», «an 18», but «a 1» and «a 7». Maths: «an» can stand for the number one. In «miles an hour» or «dollars an hour» it marks a rate, so the total is rate × time. Trap: forgetting that «an orange» counts as 1. Formal «per» = an in rates. Casual «'n'» means and, not an.

### In the corpora

- [And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.89/)
- [Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.398/)
- [And God was with the lad, and he grew; and he dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.561/)
- [And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.1054/)
- [And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.1216/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «an» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/an/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.