FA Words: From Sofas to Alfalfa
SOFA might be the most-sat-upon word ending in FA, and it's certainly the most common one in crossword grids. But this small group — roughly a dozen words — punches above its weight in word games. FA itself, the fourth note of the musical scale (do, re, mi, fa), is a valid two-letter Scrabble word worth 5 points. Two-letter words are the currency of Scrabble's endgame, and FA creates openings when you need to play parallel to an existing word.
The rest of this list reads like a tour of global vocabulary. ALFA is an alternate spelling of alpha used in the NATO phonetic alphabet and also refers to esparto grass. KHALIFA (a caliph, an Islamic leader) carries 17 points in Scrabble and is one of those words that can flip a tight game. CHUFA is a plant whose tubers taste like almonds — it shows up in botanical crossword clues. And ALFALFA, the crop, doubles up the FA ending in a satisfying way. English borrowed FA-ending words from Arabic (KHALIFA, ALFA), Italian (FA itself from musical notation), and Latin (SOFA, via Arabic). Nearly all of them trace through at least one non-Germanic language on their way into English.
For more musical and notation-related words, try words starting with F. You'll also find related borrowing patterns in words starting with K for KHALIFA-style Arabic loanwords, and words starting with PH for Greek-origin vocabulary.
FAQ
Is FA valid in Scrabble?
Yes, FA is a valid two-letter Scrabble word worth 5 points (F=4, A=1). It refers to the fourth tone of the major scale. Two-letter words like FA are critical for parallel plays. For other musical terms, explore words starting with D where you'll find DO and related notation.
What's the highest-scoring FA word in Scrabble?
KHALIFA leads at 17 points base (K=5, H=4, A=1, L=1, I=1, F=4, A=1). ALFALFA scores 13 points. Both use tiles that are common in racks but rarely combine for high scores. Check words starting with K for more K-tile options.