wahala

Hausa

Etymology

From Arabic وَهْلَة‎ (wahla, “fright, terror”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wà.há.làː/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [wə̀.há.làː]

Noun

wàhalā̀ f (plural wahalōcī or wàhàlce-wàhàlce or wàhàlhàlū, possessed form wàhalàr̃)

1. trouble, problem, difficulty

Descendants

• → Yoruba: wàhálà, وَهَلَ‎; wàálà
  • → Krio: wahala
  • → Nigerian Pidgin: wahala

Krio

Alternative forms

• waala

Etymology

From Yoruba wàhálà, from Hausa wàhalā̀, from Arabic وَهْلَة‎ (wahla, “fright, terror”).

Noun

wahala

1. trouble, problem

Nigerian Pidgin

Etymology

From Yoruba wàhálà, from Hausa wàhalā̀, from Arabic وَهْلَة‎ (wahla, “fright, terror”).

Noun

wahala

1. trouble, suffering, problem, bad luck

Yoruba

Alternative forms

• وَهَلَ‎
• wàálà

Etymology

From Hausa wàhalā̀, from Arabic وَهْلَة‎ (wahla, “fright, terror”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wà.há.là/

Noun

wàhálà

1. trouble, problem, difficulty

   Synonyms: ìṣòro, gòòbe, rògbòdìyàn, yánpọnyánrin

Descendants

• → Krio: wahala
• → Nigerian Pidgin: wahala