Arabic

Particle

لَا • ‎(lā)

1. no
2. not; negates an indicative present-tense verb
3. do not; expresses prohibition with a jussive verb
4. there is not, there is no; governs an indefinite accusative noun without nunation
5. not; negates any non-verbal sentence element
6. neither, nor

Usage notes

The Arabic negative goes at the start of a sentence or phrase except when it negates a single word.

Descendants

• Swahili: la

See also

• إلا
• بل
• غير
• كلا
• ليس
• لم
• لما
• لن
• ما

Persian

Etymology 1

From French la.

Noun

لا • ‎(lâ)

1. (music) A, La (the sixth note of the fixed-Do solfège scale)
2. (music) La (the sixth note of the movable-Do solfège scale, i.e. the submediant)

Etymology 2

From Arabic لَا ‎(lā).

Particle

لا (lâ)

1. (rare) un-

Synonyms

• (no, not): نه ‎(na), نیست ‎(nist)
• (-un): نا ‎(nâ)

Etymology 3

Alternative forms

• لای ‎(lây)

Noun

لا • ‎(lâ)

1. fold
2. layer
3. ply
4. strand