au

Everyday

1. (French) «Au» means «to the», «at the» or «in the» before a masculine word: «au parc» is «to the park», «au revoir» is «goodbye». tree →
2. (science) «Au» is the chemical symbol for gold, from the Latin word «aurum». tree →
3. (abbreviation) «AU» is short for Australia (as in web addresses ending .au) and, in space science, for an astronomical unit, the distance from the Earth to the Sun. To an English ear French «au» sounds like «oh». tree →

In the lessons

In French lessons pupils learn «au revoir» (goodbye), «au café» (at the café), «au lait» (with milk). English borrows phrases: «au pair» (a young person from abroad who lives with a family and helps look after the children), «au naturel», «au revoir». In science, «Au» appears on the periodic table for gold.

Examples

• «Au revoir!» means «goodbye!» tree →
• «Je vais au parc» means «I'm going to the park». tree →
• Our au pair comes from Spain and walks us to school. tree →
• On the periodic table, Au stands for gold. tree →
• A café au lait is coffee with milk. tree →
• French «au» sounds like «oh». tree →
• Australian websites often end in «.au». tree →

Note

As a word, French, not English, except in borrowed phrases like «au pair» and «au revoir». «Au» is «à + le» joined; before a feminine word French uses «à la», before plurals «aux». The gold symbol is «Au» with a capital A and small u. Do not read «Au» as «ow».

In Jewish tradition

In French lessons pupils learn «au revoir» (goodbye), «au café» (at the café), «au lait» (with milk). English borrows phrases: «au pair» (a young person from abroad who lives with a family and helps look after the children), «au naturel», «au revoir». In science, «Au» appears on the periodic table for gold.

Examples

• Geist ; verbannte sie mit sieben, goss sie aus mit den zwolf Gestimen.**, "He drew them with water. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• Zur Harmonic wird sie erst, wenn sie aus sich selbsi ztim Vielen wird." (S. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• "'Das luenfte Element ist also nicht aus der fuenfren mathematischen Figur geworden, da dasselbe als Urgrund ganz formlos ist. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

As a word, French, not English, except in borrowed phrases like «au pair» and «au revoir». «Au» is «à + le» joined; before a feminine word French uses «à la», before plurals «aux». The gold symbol is «Au» with a capital A and small u. Do not read «Au» as «ow».