هلا

Arabic

Arabic phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Phrase

هَلَّا • (hallā)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
   • Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali

     يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّجُلُ الْمُعَلِّمُ غَيْرَهُ
     هَلَّا لِنَفْسِكَ كَانَ ذَا التَّعْلِيمُ

     yā ʔayyuhā r-rajulu l-muʕallimu ḡayrahu
     hallā linafsika kāna ḏā t-taʕlīmu

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Hijazi Arabic

Hijazi Arabic phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Etymology

From Arabic أَهْلًا (ʔahlan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ha.la/

Interjection

هلا • (hala)

1. hi
2. hey (greeting)

   Synonyms: مَرْحَبا (marḥaba), السلام عليكم (as-salāmu ʕalaykum)

North Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• هلق (hallaʔ) (alternative spelling)

Etymology

Contraction of هالوقت (ha-l-waʔt).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hal.la/, /hal.laʔ/

Adverb

هلأ or هلا • (hallaʔ or halla)

1. now

   شو منعمل هلأ؟

   šū mnaʕmil hallaʔ?

   What are we gonna do now?

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology 1

Contraction of هالوقت (ha-l-waʔt, “this time”).

Alternative forms

• هلق (hallaʔ) (alternative spelling)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hal.laʔ/, [ˈhal.laʔ]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Adverb

هلّأ or هلّا • (hallaʔ or halla)

1. now, just

   Synonyms: هسا (hassa), هلقيت (halʔēt), الحين (alḥīn), إسا (ʔissa)

Usage notes

• There are many words for "now". هلا (halla, hallaʔ) is the most common word in urban dialects, also used in North Levantine Arabic.

Etymology 2

South Levantine Arabic phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

From Arabic أَهْلًا (ʔahlan).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ha.la/, [ˈha.la]

• Audio (Ramallah):

  (file)

Interjection

هلا • (hala)

1. (informal) hi, hey (greeting)

   Synonyms: أهلا (ʔahla), مرحبا (marḥaba)