alfa
“alfa” means “alpha (the letter)” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
alpha (the letter)
Also: beginning, alpha (star name)
📝 In Action
Alfa es la primera letra y omega es la última.
A2Alpha is the first letter and omega is the last.
Necesitas saber la historia desde el alfa hasta el omega.
B1You need to know the story from beginning to end.
alpha (dominant individual)
Also: dominant member
📝 In Action
El macho alfa es el encargado de proteger a la manada.
B2The alpha male is in charge of protecting the pack.
Ella siempre toma el rol de alfa en el equipo de trabajo.
C1She always takes the alpha role on the work team.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: alfa
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the Spanish word 'alfa' in its most common grammatical form?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Borrowed directly from Greek, where 'alpha' is the name of the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Its original meaning relates to the idea of 'first' or 'beginning.'
First recorded: Medieval period, often through Latin texts.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Since 'alfa' ends in -a, why is it masculine?
'Alfa' is an exception to the general rule that nouns ending in -a are feminine. This is because it is a direct loanword from the Greek alphabet, and in Spanish, these foreign nouns often retain their original gender, which is masculine (like 'el día' or 'el mapa').
Can 'alfa' be used as an adjective?
No, 'alfa' itself is a noun. However, it is often used *like* an adjective in phrases such as 'rayos alfa' (alpha rays) or 'partículas alfa' (alpha particles), but it is still acting as a noun modifying another noun.