# هل / أ



## linguist786

Hi

What exactly is the difference between "هل" and "أ" ? (if any?)

I know they can both be used to make a statement into a question, but is there a "rule" as to when each one can be used, or are they interchangeable? For example:

هل اِسْمُكَ محمد؟
أاِسْمُكَ ممحد؟


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## cherine

linguist786 said:
			
		

> What exactly is the difference between "هل" and "أ" ? (if any?)
> I know they can both be used to make a statement into a question, but is there a "rule" as to when each one can be used, or are they interchangeable? For example:
> هل اِسْمُكَ محمد؟
> أاِسْمُكَ ممحد؟


I'm not sure if there's a real difference between them. Although sometimes the use of the "alef" (called hamzatu 'l-istifhaam همزة الاستفهام ) infer a choice/comparison, like in the Qu'ran :


> أَأَرْبَابٌ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ​


(Sourate Yusuf, 12: 39)

I only have a comment on the second example : when we use the alef to form a question, and the word following it starts with another alef, like in your example, but the two alefs merge together and form and alef madd آ (in the condition that the alef of the word is a hamzat wasl) so you'd say :
آسمك محمد ؟ 


> آللَّهُ خَيْرٌ أَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ​


(sourate al-naml 27:59)
Sourates copied from this site, which -luckily- provides also an English translation.

I found this interesting page (thanks to alajnabiya who recommended the site that's now in the resources sticky ) I hope you find it of use.


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## elroy

The only difference I can think of is that أ sounds more formal (nevertheless, it's used in certain "fixed expressions" like أليس كذلك؟).  Otherwise, they can safely be considered interchangeable.


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## linguist786

Thanks very much - both of you! You've answered my question. 
(& thanks to cherine for the great examples from the Qur'aan)
By the way, what does أليس كذلك؟  mean? It sounds like a nice phrase lol..


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## abusaf

أليس كذلك؟
Litterally: Isnt it like that? Isnt it so?

When you want to confirm information, like the English "right?"

 لم تكن تعرف عن ترقية أحمد قبل اليوم , أليس كذلك؟

_ You did not know about Ahmads promotion before today, right?_


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## linguist786

Brilliant! I knew it was a brilliant phrase. héhé.. thanks for the clear explanation


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## Anatoli

> What exactly is the difference between "هل" and "أ" ? (if any?)


In textbook "Teach Yourself Arabic" they say that both forms are formal, for making a statement into a question it's enough to change the intonation, no need for question particles but one of them (I think it's "hal") is used *more often* with pronouns (when the sentence subject is a pronoun) and the other with nouns (particle "a-"). It was described as a general guide only, you can use both particles in various question sentences.

Please confirm if the above has any merit.


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## cherine

Anatoli said:
			
		

> Please confirm if the above has any merit.


I'm not sure if I can confirm or not, I think I need more context. Could you please give us examples from that textbook ?


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## Anatoli

Thanks Cherine,
I don't have the textbook handy but here's I've just made up based on my description.

which ones of the below sound more natural?

*'a-bintuka jamiila?* or *hal bintuka jamiila?*
*'a-hiya jamiila?* or *hal hiya jamiila?*


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## MarcB

أَأُمُّكِ فِي الْبَيْتِ الآنَ؟ أَلَكِ أَخٌ؟ أَهِيَ أُخْتُكِ؟
From madinaharabic


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## Anatoli

MarcB, could you translate your phrase?

Pardon me for previous misleading info on أ and هل. I've got the book now and found the page.

Here's the quote:



> If no question word is used, *hal* or *'a* must be placed at the beginning of the sentence, acting as a verbal question mark.
> 
> *هل محمٌد* مشغول؟
> *hal muHammad* mashghuul?
> Is *Muhammad* busy?
> 
> *أهو* مشغول؟
> *'a-huwa* mashghuul?
> Is *he* busy?
> 
> There is no precise rule about which one to use, except *a-* is usually used with personal pronouns.


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## cherine

Anatoli said:
			
		

> MarcB, could you translate your phrase?


Here's what Marc said :
أَأُمُّكِ فِي الْبَيْتِ الآنَ؟  a2ummuki (addressed to a female) fi'l-bayti'l-2aana ? Is your mother home now ?
أَلَكِ أَخٌ؟ alaki akhun ? do you (to a female) have a brother ?
أَهِيَ أُخْتُكِ ؟ ahiya ukhtuki ? Is she your sister (to a female)
*(to a male, it would be an "a" instead of the "i")*

The most correct thing about your book is the part about the absence of a rule. Both أ and هل are used to form questions, almost interchangeably, although "hal" is used more often.
People never use the أ in colloquial Arabic. Actually, in colloquial, the questions with a yes/no answers (like those formes by أ-هل ) are simply formed by the intonation; i.e. no use of interrogation "markers", not like the متى (when) أين (where) ....

I hope I'm not confusing you more. If you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask.


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## Anatoli

Thank you, Cherine. I understood the sentences very well now. 
 Is al-'aana interchangeable with al-'aan - "now"?

No, I am not confused, you clarified it all for me 

As for the missing question marks, I posted this earlier as well.


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## cherine

Thanks Anatoli, I'm glad I didn't confuse you 


			
				Anatoli said:
			
		

> Is al-'aana interchangeable with al-'aan - "now"?


al-'anna الآنَ is the same as al-'aan الآن, it's just the final "a" that can be pronounced or not (we discussed this in another thread, remember ?  )


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## chaalbaz

Hi,

Is it true that you can use أ everywhere هل can be used but not vice versa?
Thanks.


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## Amirali1383koohi

Hi
they have the same meaning and usages but أ can come with negative questions too however هل only with positive questions
for example :
is this a pen?
هل هذا قلم؟
أهذا قلم؟
isn't this a pen?
أليس هذا قلم ؟
and here u can't use هل


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## LiliaGaripovaRadikovna

When do we use word أ and هَل, and it will be grammatically correct? 
As i understand, we use أ in questions with verb "be", for example :"Is he a doctor?" And we use هَل in questions with action verbs, "Did doctor read this?" What is the difference when we use these two words?


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