bala

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bala"

Languages (54)

Anyi • Asturian • Azerbaijani • Balanta-Ganja • Balinese • Bambara • Catalan • Chichewa • Crimean Tatar • Galician • Garo • Iban • Indonesian • Javanese • Karaim • Karao • Kashubian • Keley-I Kallahan • Khalaj • Latin • Limos Kalinga • Lithuanian • Malagasy • Malay • Masbatenyo • Middle English • Mudburra • Northern Sami • Norwegian Nynorsk • Occitan • Old Javanese • Pali • Papiamentu • Phuthi • Portuguese • Romanian • Salar • Sango • Serbo-Croatian • Sotho • Southern Ndebele • Spanish • Sumerian • Swazi • Tagalog • Tatar • Ternate • Tswana • Turkish • Uyghur • Welsh • Wolof • Xhosa • Zulu

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Page categories

Anyi

Verb

bala

1. to come

Asturian

Noun

bala f (plural bales)

1. bullet

Azerbaijani

Other scripts

Cyrillic		бала
Abjad		بالا

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *bāla (“child”), which is etymologically related to baldız (“sister-in-law”). Cognate with Crimean Tatar bala, Uzbek bola, Turkish bala (dialectal), etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bɑˈɫɑ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bala (definite accusative balanı, plural balalar)

1. child

   Synonym: uşaq

2. young of an animal

Declension

Declension of bala
	singular	plural
nominative	bala	balalar
definite accusative	balanı	balaları
dative	balaya	balalara
locative	balada	balalarda
ablative	baladan	balalardan
definite genitive	balanın	balaların

Possessive forms of bala
	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	balam	balalarım
sənin (“your”)	balan	balaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	balası	balaları
bizim (“our”)	balamız	balalarımız
sizin (“your”)	balanız	balalarınız
onların (“their”)	balası or balaları	balaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	balamı	balalarımı
sənin (“your”)	balanı	balalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	balasını	balalarını
bizim (“our”)	balamızı	balalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	balanızı	balalarınızı
onların (“their”)	balasını or balalarını	balalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	balama	balalarıma
sənin (“your”)	balana	balalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	balasına	balalarına
bizim (“our”)	balamıza	balalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	balanıza	balalarınıza
onların (“their”)	balasına or balalarına	balalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	balamda	balalarımda
sənin (“your”)	balanda	balalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	balasında	balalarında
bizim (“our”)	balamızda	balalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	balanızda	balalarınızda
onların (“their”)	balasında or balalarında	balalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	balamdan	balalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	balandan	balalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	balasından	balalarından
bizim (“our”)	balamızdan	balalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	balanızdan	balalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	balasından or balalarından	balalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	balamın	balalarımın
sənin (“your”)	balanın	balalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	balasının	balalarının
bizim (“our”)	balamızın	balalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	balanızın	balalarınızın
onların (“their”)	balasının or balalarının	balalarının

Derived terms

• balaca (“little”)
• bala-bula

Descendants

• → Khalaj: bala
• → Talysh: balə

Balanta-Ganja

Noun

bala

1. balafon

Balinese

Romanization

bala

1. Romanization of ᬩᬮ

Bambara

Noun

bala

1. xylophone
2. porcupine

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈba.lə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈba.la]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French balle.

Noun

bala f (plural bales)

1. bale

   dues bales de paper ― two bales of paper

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Italian palla.

Noun

bala f (plural bales)

1. bullet
   • 2019, “Sento”, in Energia fosca, performed by El Petit de Cal Eril:

     Coses inútils com les caixes o els bancs / Coses terribles com les bales o els tancs

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. marble

Derived terms

• antibales
• a prova de bales
• joc de bales

Further reading

• “bala” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “bala”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2024
• “bala” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “bala” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Chichewa

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɓá.ɽa/

Noun

bála class 5 (plural mabála class 6)

1. wound, injury
2. defect, physical problem

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English bar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbá.ɽa/

Noun

bála class 5 (plural mabála class 6)

1. bar (establishment where alcoholic beverages can be sold)

Etymology 3

From Proto-Bantu *-bíada.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɓa.ɽa/

Verb

-bala (infinitive kubála)

1. to bear, give forth

Derived terms

• Verbal derivations:
  • Passive: -badwa (“be born”)

Crimean Tatar

Noun

bala

1. child
2. foal

Declension

Declension of bala

nominative	bala
genitive	balanıñ
dative	balağa
accusative	balanı
locative	balada
ablative	baladan

References

• Mirjejev, V. A., Usejinov, S. M. (2002) Ukrajinsʹko-krymsʹkotatarsʹkyj slovnyk [Ukrainian – Crimean Tatar Dictionary]‎^[1], Simferopol: Dolya, →ISBN

Galician

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbala/ [ˈba.lɐ]
• Rhymes: -ala

Noun

bala f (plural balas)

1. bullet

Derived terms

• antibalas

Further reading

• “bala”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2024

Garo

Etymology

Likely related to bala. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Verb

bala

1. to blow

Iban

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.la/
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bala

1. group of people

Indonesian

Etymology 1

From Malay bala, from Sanskrit बल (bala).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.la/
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bala

1. force, army

   Synonyms: laskar, pasukan, prajurit, sena, serdadu, tentara

Derived terms

• berbala-bala

 

• bala bantuan
• bala keselamatan
• bala seribu
• bala tentara

 

Etymology 2

From Malay bala, from Arabic بَلَاء (balāʔ, “misfortune”).

Noun

bala (first-person possessive balaku, second-person possessive balamu, third-person possessive balanya)

1. misfortune

   Synonyms: bahala, bahaya, bencana, cobaan, dakiat, keapesan, kecelakaan, kegagalan, kemaharan, kemalangan, kemudaratan, kerugian, kesialan, mala, malapetaka, mara

Etymology 3

From Javanese ꦧꦭ (bala) and Balinese ᬩᬮ (bala). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.la/
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bala (first-person possessive balaku, second-person possessive balamu, third-person possessive balanya)

1. 25th wuku of Pawukon calendar.

Etymology 4

From Tombulu [Term?]. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.la/
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bala (first-person possessive balaku, second-person possessive balamu, third-person possessive balanya)

1. birds that are deemed able to give signal through their movements or sound.

Further reading

• “bala” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Javanese

Romanization

bala

1. Romanization of ꦧꦭ

Karaim

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *bāla.

Noun

bala

1. child

References

• N. A. Baskakov, S.M. Šapšala, editor (1973), “bala”, in Karaimsko-Russko-Polʹskij Slovarʹ [Karaim-Russian-Polish Dictionary], Moscow: Moskva, →ISBN

Karao

Noun

bala

1. (anatomy) lung

Kashubian

Bala

Alternative forms

• bal

Etymology

Borrowed from German Ball.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.la/
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ba‧la

Noun

bala f

1. ball

   Synonym: pùczk

Declension

Declension of bala

	singular	plural
nominative	bala	bale
genitive	balë	bal(ów)
dative	balë	balóm
accusative	balã	bale
instrumental	balą	balama
locative	balë	balach
vocative	bala/balo	bale

Derived terms

nouns

• balôrz

 

Further reading

• Jan Trepczyk (1994) “piłka”, in Słownik polsko-kaszubski (in Kashubian), volumes 1–2
• Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011) “piłka”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi‎^[2]
• “bala”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

Keley-I Kallahan

Noun

bala

1. (anatomy) lung

Khalaj

Perso-Arabic		بالا

Etymology

Borrowed from Azerbaijani bala (“child”)

Pronunciation

• (Kharrab) IPA^(key): [bala]

Noun

bala (definite accusative balañ, plural balalar)

1. child

   Synonyms: bəççə, kâl, kôka

Declension

Declension of bala

	singular	plural
nominative	bala	balalar
genitive	balañ	balalarııñ
dative	balaqa	balalarqa
definite accusative	balañ	balaları
locative	balaça	balalarça
ablative	balada	balalarda
instrumental	balala	balalarla
equative	balavâra	balalarvâra

References

• Doerfer, Gerhard (1980) Wörterbuch des Chaladsch (Dialekt von Charrab) [Khalaj dictionary] (in German), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈbaː.laː/, [ˈbäːɫ̪äː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈba.la/, [ˈbäːlä]

Verb

bālā

1. second-person singular present active imperative of bālō

References

• bala in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• "bala" in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers

Limos Kalinga

Noun

bala

1. hot coals

Lithuanian

Etymology

From bãlas (“white”) +‎ -a. Cognate with Latvian bala (“loamy valley without trees, swamp, depression”), Proto-Slavic *bělь.

Noun

balà f stress pattern 2/4

1. swamp, mire, morass

   Synonyms: pélkė, raĩstas

   • 1899, Mitteilungen der Litauischen Literarischen Gesellschaft, Volume 4‎^[3], page 445:

     Oi šermukšni, šermukšni, Kur tu augai tarp baliu [sic]

     Oh, rowan tree, where have you been growing in the midst of the swamps?

     Popularized in a recording by the Lithuanian band Ugniavijas in 2013.

   • 1925, J. Elisonas, “Archeologinių ir šiaip įdomių, tiek Panevėžio apskrities, tiek kitų artimų apylinkių, vietų sarašas, kurį yra surinkę Panevėžio valstybinės gimnazijos mokiniai [A list of archeological and otherwise interesting places, both in Panevėžys County and other nearby areas, compiled by the students of Panevėžys State Gymnasium]”, in Švietimo darbas‎^[4], number 4, pages 325–326:

     Dijokalnis. [...] Kalną supa miškas ir bala. [...] Dobulio kalnas. [...] Prie kalno yra gana didelė bala, turinti to paties kalno pavadinimą.

     [Dijokalnis hill] is surrounded by forest and swamp. [...] Near [Dobulio hill] there is a rather large swamp, which has the same name as the hill.

2. puddle

   Synonyms: balùtė, klãnas, valkà

   • 1971, Iš lietuvių kultūros istorijos‎^[5], volume 6, Mintis:

     Lyjant kaimo gatvėje neretai susidarydavo didžiulės balos.

     While it rained on the village street, huge puddles often formed.

   • 2000, Valentinas Zaikauskas, Pėdsakai baigiasi rojuje valentinas, Lietuvos rašytojų sąjunga:

     Blogai, kad lietus pradėjo merkti, - galvojo seklys, - tačiau sekant tokį beprotį lietus yra niekai. Ir vėjas, ir balos - tik smulkmena palyginus su ta nenusakoma beprotybe, kurios privalau neišleisti iš akių.

     It's bad that the rain started to drizzle, the sleuth thought, but following such madness the rain is nothing. Both the wind and the puddles are just a trifle compared to that indescribable madness that I must not lose sight of.

Declension

Declension of balà

	singular (vienaskaita)	plural (daugiskaita)
nominative (vardininkas)	balà	bãlos
genitive (kilmininkas)	bãlos	bãlų
dative (naudininkas)	bãlai	bãloms
accusative (galininkas)	bãlą	balàs
instrumental (įnagininkas)	balà	bãlomis
locative (vietininkas)	bãloje	bãlose
vocative (šauksmininkas)	bãla	bãlos

Declension of balà

	singular (vienaskaita)	plural (daugiskaita)
nominative (vardininkas)	balà	bãlos
genitive (kilmininkas)	balõs	balų̃
dative (naudininkas)	bãlai	balóms
accusative (galininkas)	bãlą	balàs
instrumental (įnagininkas)	balà	balomìs
locative (vietininkas)	balojè	balosè
vocative (šauksmininkas)	bãla	bãlos

References

• Derksen, Rick (2015) “bala”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Baltic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 13), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 77
• “bala”, in Lietuvių kalbos etimologinio žodyno duomenų bazė [Lithuanian etymological dictionary database], 2007–2012
• “bala”, in Lietuvių kalbos žodynas [Dictionary of the Lithuanian language], lkz.lt, 1941–2024

Malagasy

Etymology 1

From French balle.

Noun

bala

1. bullet
2. cartridge

Etymology 2

Noun

bala

1. (dialectal) poles used to carry a burden

Etymology 3

Verb

balà

1. imperative form of balana

Malay

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bala/
• Rhymes: -ala, -la
• (Johor-Riau) IPA^(key): [ˈbä.lä, -lə]

Etymology 1

From Sanskrit बल (bala).

Noun

bala (Jawi spelling بالا, plural bala-bala, informal 1st possessive balaku, 2nd possessive balamu, 3rd possessive balanya)

1. soldiery; army, force

Descendants

• Indonesian: bala

Etymology 2

From Arabic بَلَاء (balāʔ, “misfortune”).

Noun

bala (Jawi spelling بالا or بلاء, plural bala-bala, informal 1st possessive balaku, 2nd possessive balamu, 3rd possessive balanya)

1. misfortune, disaster, calamity

   Synonyms: bencana, malapetaka, kemalangan, kecelakaan

Descendants

• Indonesian: bala

Further reading

• “bala” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Masbatenyo

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish bala.

Noun

bala

1. bullet

Middle English

Noun

bala

1. Alternative form of bale (“bale”)

Mudburra

Noun

bala

1. inland snake-eyed skink, a small tree-dwelling lizard in inland Australia.

Northern Sami

Pronunciation

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈpala/

Verb

bala

1. inflection of ballat:
   1. present indicative connegative
   2. second-person singular imperative
   3. imperative connegative

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• bale (verb, e-infinitive)

Verb

bala (present tense balar, past tense bala, past participle bala, passive infinitive balast, present participle balande, imperative bala/bal)

1. to make noise

   Synonyms: bråka, ståka

2. to struggle

   Synonyms: streva, træla

Noun

bala n

1. definite plural of bal

References

• “bala” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Anagrams

• alba

Occitan

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

bala f (plural balas)

1. bullet (a projectile, usually of metal, shot from a gun at high speed)

Old Javanese

Other scripts
Kawi
Javanese	ꦧꦭ
Balinese
Roman	bala

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit बल (bala, “power, strength”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.la/
• Rhymes: -la
• Homophone: bāla
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bala

1. strength, power
2. troops, army, soldiers of lesser rank

Derived terms

• abala-balan
• binala

 

Descendants

• > Javanese: ꦧꦭ (bala), ꦮꦭ (wala) (inherited)
• → Balinese: ᬩᬮ (bala)

References

• "bala" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• 𑀩𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• बल (Devanagari script)
• বল (Bengali script)
• බල (Sinhalese script)
• ဗလ or ၿလ (Burmese script)
• พล or พะละ (Thai script)
• ᨻᩃ (Tai Tham script)
• ພລ or ພະລະ (Lao script)
• ពល (Khmer script)
• 𑄝𑄣 (Chakma script)

Etymology

Inherited from Sanskrit बल (bala).

Noun

bala n

1. strength
2. power
3. force
4. army, military force

Declension

Declension table of "bala" (neuter)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	balaṃ	balāni
Accusative (second)	balaṃ	balāni
Instrumental (third)	balena or balasā	balehi or balebhi
Dative (fourth)	balassa or balāya or balatthaṃ	balānaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	balasmā or balamhā or balā	balehi or balebhi
Genitive (sixth)	balassa	balānaṃ
Locative (seventh)	balasmiṃ or balamhi or bale	balesu
Vocative (calling)	bala	balāni

Synonyms

• (army): balakāya

Derived terms

• balin (“strong”)

Descendants

• → Thai: พล (pon)
• → Khmer: ពល (pŭəl)
• → Burmese: ဗလ (ba.la.)
• Foreign coinings:
  • → Khmer: ថាមពល (thaamaʼpŭəl, “energy, power”)
  • → Burmese: ပညာဗလ (pa.nyaba.la., “a title”)
  • → Burmese: မဟာပညာဗလ (ma.hapa.nyaba.la., “a title”)
  • → Thai: จตุพล (jà-dtù-pol, “a proper noun”)

Papiamentu

Noun

bala

1. ball

Phuthi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

Verb

-bala

1. to count

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.lɐ/

• Rhymes: -alɐ
• Homophone: vala (Northern Portugal)
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French balle, from Middle French balle from Northern Italian balla (“ball”), from Lombardic *palla, *balla (“ball”), from Proto-Germanic *ballô (“ball”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoln- (“bubble”), from *bʰel- (“to blow, swell, inflate”).

Noun

bala f (plural balas)

1. bullet, projectile (part of the ammunition for firearms)

   Synonym: projétil

   • 2009 April 15, “Corra! Rei das Feras!” (02:20 from the start), in Ryukendo, episode 3, São Paulo: Centauro, via RedeTV!; dubbing of “走れ!百獣の王”, in 魔弾戦記リュウケンドー, 2006 January 22:

     Kenji Narukami (Wendel Bezerra): Ih, eu não tenho mais balas...
     Jushiro Fudo (Márcio Araújo): Não é bala que se fala, é munição!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (Brazil) candy, sweet

   Synonyms: doce, guloseima, rebuçado

3. (Brazil, slang) ecstasy (MDMA) pill

Usage notes

In Brazil, people in the military and other fields that make use of guns tend to proscribe the use of this word because of the candy sense, often relying on synonyms like projétil and munição.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

bala

1. inflection of balar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative
2. inflection of balir:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbala]

Noun

bala f

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of bală

Salar

Etymology

Cognate with Azerbaijani bala.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pɑlɑ]

Noun

bala (3rd person possessive balası, plural balalar)

1. child

References

• 林莲云 [Lin Lianyun] (1985) “bala”, in 撒拉语简志 [A Brief History of Salar]‎^[6], Beijing: 民族出版社: 琴書店, →OCLC, page 16
• Tenishev, Edhem (1976) “bala”, in Stroj salárskovo jazyká [Grammar of Salar], Moscow, page 300
• 马伟 [Ma Wei], 朝克 [Chao Ke] (2014) “bala”, in 撒拉语366条会话读本 [Salar 366 Conversation Reader]‎^[7], 1^st edition, 社会科学文献出版社 [Social Science Literature Press], →ISBN, page 16

Sango

Verb

bala

1. to greet

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

From Italian ballo, from Old High German balo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bâla/
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bȁla f (Cyrillic spelling ба̏ла)

1. bale, bundle, pack (bundle of goods)
2. (regional) ball, sphere

Declension

Declension of bala

	singular	plural
nominative	bȁla	bale
genitive	bale	bȃlā
dative	bali	balama
accusative	balu	bale
vocative	balo	bale
locative	bali	balama
instrumental	balom	balama

Etymology 2

Unknown. Possibly a Dalmatian substratum word; compare Romanian bale (“slobber, saliva”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bâla/
• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bȁla f (Cyrillic spelling ба̏ла)

1. (usually in the plural) mucus, snivel
2. (usually in the plural, informal) snot
3. (usually in the plural) slobber

Declension

Declension of bala

	singular	plural
nominative	bala	bale
genitive	bale	bala
dative	bali	balama
accusative	balu	bale
vocative	balo	bale
locative	bali	balama
instrumental	balom	balama

References

• “bala”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024
• “bala”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024

Sotho

Verb

bala

1. to read

Southern Ndebele

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

Verb

-bala

1. to count

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbala/ [ˈba.la]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ba‧la

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French balle.

Noun

bala f (plural balas)

1. bullet

   La bala atravesó la pared de la casa. ― The bullet went through the wall of the house.

   Encontraron una bala en la esceña del crimen. ― They found a bullet at the crime scene.

Derived terms

• a prueba de balas (“bulletproof”)
• antibalas
• bala de gas
• bala fría
• bala perdida
• como una bala
• donde pongo el ojo pongo la bala
• morder la bala (“to bite the bullet”)

 

Etymology 2

Verb

bala

1. inflection of balar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “bala”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28

Sumerian

Romanization

bala

1. Romanization of 𒁄 (bala)

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

Verb

-bala

1. to count

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Tagalog

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bajaq (“tell, inform; ask, inquire”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /ˈbalaʔ/ [ˈbaː.lɐʔ] (“threat; warning”, noun)
    • Rhymes: -alaʔ
  • IPA^(key): /baˈlaʔ/ [bɐˈlaʔ] (“speaking; saying”, noun)
    • Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ba‧la

Noun

balà (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜎ)

1. threat

   Synonyms: panakot, banta, babala

2. warning

   Synonyms: babala, paalaala

3. (obsolete) accusation against someone in front of some authority

   Synonyms: sumbong, bintang, akusa

Derived terms

• balaan
• bumala
• ibala
• magbala
• mapagbala
• pagbalaan

 

Noun

balâ (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜎ) (obsolete)

1. statement; speech; words said

   Synonyms: sabi, salita, wika

   Ang bala ng hari.

   The word of the king.

2. act of speaking or saying something

   Synonyms: sabi, salita, wika, pagsasalita, pagsasabi, pagwiwika

Derived terms

• babala
• babalain
• balaan
• balain
• himala
• himalain
• kahima-himala
• kahimalaan
• magbala
• maghimala
• mahimala
• mapabala
• mapaghimala
• pagbalaan
• paghihimala
• paghimalaan

 

See also

• balarila

 

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish bala (“bullet”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈbala/ [ˈbaː.lɐ]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ba‧la

Noun

bala (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜎ)

1. bullet; slug

   Synonym: punglo

2. pellet

Derived terms

• bala-balahan
• balahan
• balahin
• ligaw na bala
• pambala

 

Etymology 3

Possibly from Western Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bala, *bara (“whatever, whichever”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈbala/ [ˈbaː.lɐ]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ba‧la

Determiner

bala (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜎ)

1. Obsolete form of balang.

Derived terms

• balana

See also

• bawa

Further reading

• “bala”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• Noceda, Fr. Juan José de, Sanlucar, Fr. Pedro de (1860) Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, compuesto por varios religiosos doctos y graves‎^[8] (in Spanish), Manila: Ramirez y Giraudier
• Santos, Fr. Domingo de los (1835) Tomas Oliva, editor, Vocabulario de la lengua tagala: primera, y segunda parte.‎^[9] (in Spanish), La imprenta nueva de D. Jose Maria Dayot
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613) Juan de Silva, editor, Vocabulario de lengua tagala: El romance castellano puesto primero‎^[10], La Noble Villa de Pila
  • page 19: “Acuſar) Bala [(pp)] a otro delante del mayor”
  • page 51: “Amenaça) Bala (pp) de palabra”
  • page 217: “Deçir) Bala (pc) algo hablãdo”
  • page 340: “Hablar) Bala (pc) diçiendo algo”

Anagrams

• alba, Alba, laab, abla, laba, alab

Tatar

Noun

bala

1. young animal,nestling
2. child

Ternate

Etymology 1

From N- +‎ pala (“to rise”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.la/

Verb

bala

1. (intransitive) to float up, to emerge from water
2. (intransitive, by extension) to appear, to emerge

Conjugation

Conjugation of bala
	Singular	Plural
	Inclusive	Exclusive
1st	tobala	fobala	mibala
2nd	nobala	nibala
3rd	Masculine	obala	ibala, yobala†
Feminine	mobala
Neuter	ibala
† - archaic

Etymology 2

From either Indonesian bala (“army”) or Javanese ꦧꦭ (bala, “army”), both from Sanskrit बल (bala).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.la/

Noun

bala

1. people

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.ˈlaː/

Noun

bala

1. Alternative form of bahala (“disaster”)

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Tswana

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

Verb

bala

1. to count

Turkish

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *bāla (“child”).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ba‧la

Noun

bala (definite accusative balayı, plural balalar)

1. (obsolete, otherwise dialectal) child, baby

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	bala
Definite accusative	balayı
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	bala	balalar
Definite accusative	balayı	balaları
Dative	balaya	balalara
Locative	balada	balalarda
Ablative	baladan	balalardan
Genitive	balanın	balaların
Possessive forms Nominative Singular Plural 1st singular balam balalarım 2nd singular balan balaların 3rd singular balası balaları 1st plural balamız balalarımız 2nd plural balanız balalarınız 3rd plural balaları balaları Definite accusative Singular Plural 1st singular balamı balalarımı 2nd singular balanı balalarını 3rd singular balasını balalarını 1st plural balamızı balalarımızı 2nd plural balanızı balalarınızı 3rd plural balalarını balalarını Dative Singular Plural 1st singular balama balalarıma 2nd singular balana balalarına 3rd singular balasına balalarına 1st plural balamıza balalarımıza 2nd plural balanıza balalarınıza 3rd plural balalarına balalarına Locative Singular Plural 1st singular balamda balalarımda 2nd singular balanda balalarında 3rd singular balasında balalarında 1st plural balamızda balalarımızda 2nd plural balanızda balalarınızda 3rd plural balalarında balalarında Ablative Singular Plural 1st singular balamdan balalarımdan 2nd singular balandan balalarından 3rd singular balasından balalarından 1st plural balamızdan balalarımızdan 2nd plural balanızdan balalarınızdan 3rd plural balalarından balalarından Genitive Singular Plural 1st singular balamın balalarımın 2nd singular balanın balalarının 3rd singular balasının balalarının 1st plural balamızın balalarımızın 2nd plural balanızın balalarınızın 3rd plural balalarının balalarının

Synonyms

• çocuk (child)
• bebek (baby)

See also

• çağa

Further reading

• “bala”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Ayverdi, İlhan (2010) “bala”, in Misalli Büyük Türkçe Sözlük, a reviewed and expanded single-volume edition, Istanbul: Kubbealtı Neşriyatı

Uyghur

Other scripts
Perso-Arabic	بالا
Latin	‍bala‍
Cyrillic	бала

Noun

bala

1. Latin (ULY) transcription of بالا (bala)
2. Latin (UYY) transcription of بالا (bala)

Welsh

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *balago-, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷel- (“to dribble; gush forth; spring; squirt; throw”). Cognate with English quell.

Noun

bala m (plural balaon)

1. effluent, sluice

Derived terms

• Y Bala

Mutation

Mutated forms of bala

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
bala	fala	mala	unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “bala”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

Wolof

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbala/

Adverb

bala

1. before

Xhosa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

Verb

-bala

1. to count

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms

• -balisa

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

Verb

-bala

1. to count
2. to calculate

Inflection

Tone L
Infinitive	ukubala
	Positive	Negative
Infinitive	ukubala	ukungabali
	Imperative
	Simple	+ object concord
Singular	bala	-bale
Plural	balani	-baleni
	Present
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyabala, ngibala	engibalayo, engibala	ngibala	angibali	engingabali	ngingabali
2nd singular	uyabala, ubala	obalayo, obala	ubala	awubali	ongabali	ungabali
1st plural	siyabala, sibala	esibalayo, esibala	sibala	asibali	esingabali	singabali
2nd plural	niyabala, nibala	enibalayo, enibala	nibala	anibali	eningabali	ningabali
Class 1	uyabala, ubala	obalayo, obala	ebala	akabali	ongabali	engabali
Class 2	bayabala, babala	ababalayo, ababala	bebala	ababali	abangabali	bengabali
Class 3	uyabala, ubala	obalayo, obala	ubala	awubali	ongabali	ungabali
Class 4	iyabala, ibala	ebalayo, ebala	ibala	ayibali	engabali	ingabali
Class 5	liyabala, libala	elibalayo, elibala	libala	alibali	elingabali	lingabali
Class 6	ayabala, abala	abalayo, abala	ebala	awabali	angabali	engabali
Class 7	siyabala, sibala	esibalayo, esibala	sibala	asibali	esingabali	singabali
Class 8	ziyabala, zibala	ezibalayo, ezibala	zibala	azibali	ezingabali	zingabali
Class 9	iyabala, ibala	ebalayo, ebala	ibala	ayibali	engabali	ingabali
Class 10	ziyabala, zibala	ezibalayo, ezibala	zibala	azibali	ezingabali	zingabali
Class 11	luyabala, lubala	olubalayo, olubala	lubala	alubali	olungabali	lungabali
Class 14	buyabala, bubala	obubalayo, obubala	bubala	abubali	obungabali	bungabali
Class 15	kuyabala, kubala	okubalayo, okubala	kubala	akubali	okungabali	kungabali
Class 17	kuyabala, kubala	okubalayo, okubala	kubala	akubali	okungabali	kungabali
	Recent past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngibalile, ngibalē	engibalile, engibalē	ngibalile, ngibalē	angibalanga	engingabalanga	ngingabalanga
2nd singular	ubalile, ubalē	obalile, obalē	ubalile, ubalē	awubalanga	ongabalanga	ungabalanga
1st plural	sibalile, sibalē	esibalile, esibalē	sibalile, sibalē	asibalanga	esingabalanga	singabalanga
2nd plural	nibalile, nibalē	enibalile, enibalē	nibalile, nibalē	anibalanga	eningabalanga	ningabalanga
Class 1	ubalile, ubalē	obalile, obalē	ebalile, ebalē	akabalanga	ongabalanga	engabalanga
Class 2	babalile, babalē	ababalile, ababalē	bebalile, bebalē	ababalanga	abangabalanga	bengabalanga
Class 3	ubalile, ubalē	obalile, obalē	ubalile, ubalē	awubalanga	ongabalanga	ungabalanga
Class 4	ibalile, ibalē	ebalile, ebalē	ibalile, ibalē	ayibalanga	engabalanga	ingabalanga
Class 5	libalile, libalē	elibalile, elibalē	libalile, libalē	alibalanga	elingabalanga	lingabalanga
Class 6	abalile, abalē	abalile, abalē	ebalile, ebalē	awabalanga	angabalanga	engabalanga
Class 7	sibalile, sibalē	esibalile, esibalē	sibalile, sibalē	asibalanga	esingabalanga	singabalanga
Class 8	zibalile, zibalē	ezibalile, ezibalē	zibalile, zibalē	azibalanga	ezingabalanga	zingabalanga
Class 9	ibalile, ibalē	ebalile, ebalē	ibalile, ibalē	ayibalanga	engabalanga	ingabalanga
Class 10	zibalile, zibalē	ezibalile, ezibalē	zibalile, zibalē	azibalanga	ezingabalanga	zingabalanga
Class 11	lubalile, lubalē	olubalile, olubalē	lubalile, lubalē	alubalanga	olungabalanga	lungabalanga
Class 14	bubalile, bubalē	obubalile, obubalē	bubalile, bubalē	abubalanga	obungabalanga	bungabalanga
Class 15	kubalile, kubalē	okubalile, okubalē	kubalile, kubalē	akubalanga	okungabalanga	kungabalanga
Class 17	kubalile, kubalē	okubalile, okubalē	kubalile, kubalē	akubalanga	okungabalanga	kungabalanga
	Remote past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngābala	engābala	ngābala	angibalanga	engingabalanga	ngingabalanga
2nd singular	wābala	owābala	wābala	awubalanga	ongabalanga	ungabalanga
1st plural	sābala	esābala	sābala	asibalanga	esingabalanga	singabalanga
2nd plural	nābala	enābala	nābala	anibalanga	eningabalanga	ningabalanga
Class 1	wābala	owābala	ābala	akabalanga	ongabalanga	engabalanga
Class 2	bābala	abābala	bābala	ababalanga	abangabalanga	bengabalanga
Class 3	wābala	owābala	wābala	awubalanga	ongabalanga	ungabalanga
Class 4	yābala	eyābala	yābala	ayibalanga	engabalanga	ingabalanga
Class 5	lābala	elābala	lābala	alibalanga	elingabalanga	lingabalanga
Class 6	ābala	ābala	ābala	awabalanga	angabalanga	engabalanga
Class 7	sābala	esābala	sābala	asibalanga	esingabalanga	singabalanga
Class 8	zābala	ezābala	zābala	azibalanga	ezingabalanga	zingabalanga
Class 9	yābala	eyābala	yābala	ayibalanga	engabalanga	ingabalanga
Class 10	zābala	ezābala	zābala	azibalanga	ezingabalanga	zingabalanga
Class 11	lwābala	olwābala	lwābala	alubalanga	olungabalanga	lungabalanga
Class 14	bābala	obābala	bābala	abubalanga	obungabalanga	bungabalanga
Class 15	kwābala	okwābala	kwābala	akubalanga	okungabalanga	kungabalanga
Class 17	kwābala	okwābala	kwābala	akubalanga	okungabalanga	kungabalanga
	Potential
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngingabala	—	ngingabala	ngingebale	—	ngingebale
2nd singular	ungabala	—	ungabala	ungebale	—	ungebale
1st plural	singabala	—	singabala	singebale	—	singebale
2nd plural	ningabala	—	ningabala	ningebale	—	ningebale
Class 1	angabala	—	engabala	angebale	—	engebale
Class 2	bangabala	—	bengabala	bangebale	—	bengebale
Class 3	ungabala	—	ungabala	ungebale	—	ungebale
Class 4	ingabala	—	ingabala	ingebale	—	ingebale
Class 5	lingabala	—	lingabala	lingebale	—	lingebale
Class 6	angabala	—	engabala	angebale	—	engebale
Class 7	singabala	—	singabala	singebale	—	singebale
Class 8	zingabala	—	zingabala	zingebale	—	zingebale
Class 9	ingabala	—	ingabala	ingebale	—	ingebale
Class 10	zingabala	—	zingabala	zingebale	—	zingebale
Class 11	lungabala	—	lungabala	lungebale	—	lungebale
Class 14	bungabala	—	bungabala	bungebale	—	bungebale
Class 15	kungabala	—	kungabala	kungebale	—	kungebale
Class 17	kungabala	—	kungabala	kungebale	—	kungebale
	Immediate future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngizobala	engizobala	ngizobala	angizubala	engingezubala	ngingezubala
2nd singular	uzobala	ozobala	uzobala	awuzubala	ongezubala	ungezubala
1st plural	sizobala	esizobala	sizobala	asizubala	esingezubala	singezubala
2nd plural	nizobala	enizobala	nizobala	anizubala	eningezubala	ningezubala
Class 1	uzobala	ozobala	ezobala	akazubala	ongezubala	engezubala
Class 2	bazobala	abazobala	bezobala	abazubala	abangezubala	bengezubala
Class 3	uzobala	ozobala	uzobala	awuzubala	ongezubala	ungezubala
Class 4	izobala	ezobala	izobala	ayizubala	engezubala	ingezubala
Class 5	lizobala	elizobala	lizobala	alizubala	elingezubala	lingezubala
Class 6	azobala	azobala	ezobala	awazubala	angezubala	engezubala
Class 7	sizobala	esizobala	sizobala	asizubala	esingezubala	singezubala
Class 8	zizobala	ezizobala	zizobala	azizubala	ezingezubala	zingezubala
Class 9	izobala	ezobala	izobala	ayizubala	engezubala	ingezubala
Class 10	zizobala	ezizobala	zizobala	azizubala	ezingezubala	zingezubala
Class 11	luzobala	oluzobala	luzobala	aluzubala	olungezubala	lungezubala
Class 14	buzobala	obuzobala	buzobala	abuzubala	obungezubala	bungezubala
Class 15	kuzobala	okuzobala	kuzobala	akuzubala	okungezubala	kungezubala
Class 17	kuzobala	okuzobala	kuzobala	akuzubala	okungezubala	kungezubala
	Remote future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyobala	engiyobala	ngiyobala	angiyubala	engingeyubala	ngingeyubala
2nd singular	uyobala	oyobala	uyobala	awuyubala	ongeyubala	ungeyubala
1st plural	siyobala	esiyobala	siyobala	asiyubala	esingeyubala	singeyubala
2nd plural	niyobala	eniyobala	niyobala	aniyubala	eningeyubala	ningeyubala
Class 1	uyobala	oyobala	eyobala	akayubala	ongeyubala	engeyubala
Class 2	bayobala	abayobala	beyobala	abayubala	abangeyubala	bengeyubala
Class 3	uyobala	oyobala	uyobala	awuyubala	ongeyubala	ungeyubala
Class 4	iyobala	eyobala	iyobala	ayiyubala	engeyubala	ingeyubala
Class 5	liyobala	eliyobala	liyobala	aliyubala	elingeyubala	lingeyubala
Class 6	ayobala	ayobala	eyobala	awayubala	angeyubala	engeyubala
Class 7	siyobala	esiyobala	siyobala	asiyubala	esingeyubala	singeyubala
Class 8	ziyobala	eziyobala	ziyobala	aziyubala	ezingeyubala	zingeyubala
Class 9	iyobala	eyobala	iyobala	ayiyubala	engeyubala	ingeyubala
Class 10	ziyobala	eziyobala	ziyobala	aziyubala	ezingeyubala	zingeyubala
Class 11	luyobala	oluyobala	luyobala	aluyubala	olungeyubala	lungeyubala
Class 14	buyobala	obuyobala	buyobala	abuyubala	obungeyubala	bungeyubala
Class 15	kuyobala	okuyobala	kuyobala	akuyubala	okungeyubala	kungeyubala
Class 17	kuyobala	okuyobala	kuyobala	akuyubala	okungeyubala	kungeyubala
	Present subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngibale	ngingabali
2nd singular	ubale	ungabali
1st plural	sibale	singabali
2nd plural	nibale	ningabali
Class 1	abale	angabali
Class 2	babale	bangabali
Class 3	ubale	ungabali
Class 4	ibale	ingabali
Class 5	libale	lingabali
Class 6	abale	angabali
Class 7	sibale	singabali
Class 8	zibale	zingabali
Class 9	ibale	ingabali
Class 10	zibale	zingabali
Class 11	lubale	lungabali
Class 14	bubale	bungabali
Class 15	kubale	kungabali
Class 17	kubale	kungabali
	Past subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngabala	ngangabala, angabala, angangabala
2nd singular	wabala	wangabala, awabala, awangabala
1st plural	sabala	sangabala, asabala, asangabala
2nd plural	nabala	nangabala, anabala, anangabala
Class 1	wabala	wangabala, akabala, akangabala
Class 2	babala	bangabala, ababala, abangabala
Class 3	wabala	wangabala, awabala, awangabala
Class 4	yabala	yangabala, ayabala, ayangabala
Class 5	labala	langabala, alabala, alangabala
Class 6	abala	angabala, awabala, awangabala
Class 7	sabala	sangabala, asabala, asangabala
Class 8	zabala	zangabala, azabala, azangabala
Class 9	yabala	yangabala, ayabala, ayangabala
Class 10	zabala	zangabala, azabala, azangabala
Class 11	lwabala	lwangabala, alwabala, alwangabala
Class 14	babala	bangabala, ababala, abangabala
Class 15	kwabala	kwangabala, akwabala, akwangabala
Class 17	kwabala	kwangabala, akwabala, akwangabala

Derived terms

• -balisa

References

• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “ɓala”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “ɓala (6.3)”