The spelling of "wast par" may seem confusing to English learners, but it is actually rooted in its pronunciation. The word is pronounced /wəst pɑr/ where the "a" in "par" is pronounced similar to the "a" in "father". The "w" in "wast" is pronounced as a voiced labio-velar approximant. The use of the silent "e" at the end of "wast" indicates that the "a" sound in "wast par" is pronounced as a short vowel sound, similar to the "a" sound in "cat".