An α-amino acid has a central carbon (the α or alpha carbon) that is covalently bonded to a carboxyl group (thus they are carboxylic acids), an amino group, a hydrogen atom and a variable group.
ɐn ˈælfəɐmˈiːnoʊ ˈæsɪd hɐz ɐ sˈɛntɹəl kˈɑːɹbən ðɪ ˈælfə ɔːɹ ˈælfə kˈɑːɹbən ðæt ɪz kˈoʊvələntli bˈɑːndᵻd tʊ ɐ kˈɑːɹbəksˌɪl ɡɹˈuːp ðˈʌs ðeɪ ɑːɹ kˌɑːɹbəksˈɪlɪk ˈæsɪdz, ɐn ɐmˈiːnoʊ ɡɹˈuːp, ɐ hˈaɪdɹədʒən ˈæɾəm ænd ɐ vˈɛɹɪəbəl ɡɹˈuːp.