bahala na

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Tagalog bahala na.

Interjection

bahala na

1. (Philippines) Expressing the fatalistic attitude that things are out of one's control and whatever will happen will happen.

See also

• che sara sara
• that's the way the cookie crumbles

Tagalog

Etymology

From ellipsis of bahala ka na (“you are with burden already”) where ka (“you”) is omitted, then conflated with Bathala (“the precolonial Supreme deity of the Tagalog people”), which an expression was preconceived, Bathala na (literally “(leave it to) God already”). In this case, bahala was preserved, but the notion remained that it was short for bahala na ang Diyos (“God will take care of it; leave it to God”, literally “burden already of God”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /baˈhalaʔ na/ [bɐˈhaː.lɐʔ n̪ɐ]
  • IPA^(key): (with glottal stop elision) /baˈhala(ʔ) na/ [bɐˈhaː.laː n̪ɐ]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: ba‧ha‧la na

Interjection

bahalà na (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜑᜎ ᜈ)

1. expresses fatalistic resignation, optimistic acceptance, or plain indifference in an uncertain or difficult circumstance: come what may

   Hay, trapik nanaman. Papagalitan ako ng amo ko. Bahala na.

   Sigh, there's a traffic jam again. My boss would be mad at me. Whatever. I'll manage whatever happens.

   • 2026 May 12, TV Patrol‎^[1], via ABS-CBN:

     Well, bahala na ang Senado if they will continue to take custody of me, take protective custody—bahala na sila kung ano magiging desisyon nila.

     Well!, it is up to the Senate whether they will continue to hold me in custody—place me under protective custody—it is up to them what their decision will be.

Derived terms

• bahala na si Bathala
• bahala na si Batman

Related terms

• bahala
• bahala ka

See also

• bathala