wa

See also: Appendix:Variations of "wa"

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Walloon or Walloon walon.

Symbol

wa

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-1 language code for Walloon.

See also

  • Wiktionary’s coverage of Walloon terms

English

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

wa

  1. A traditional proa-style outrigger canoe of the Caroline Islands.

Etymology 2

From Thai วา (waa).

Noun

wa (plural wa)

  1. A Thai unit of length, traditionally comparable to a fathom, and now officially equal to two metres.

Etymology 3

From Japanese (wa).

Noun

wa (uncountable)

  1. In Japanese society, the favouring of a harmonious community over one's personal interests.

Etymology 4

Interjection

wa

  1. Alternative form of waa.
    • 2010 September 23, Marina Hyde, “Kelly Osbourne's no-holds-barred spat with Dannii the 'devil'”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 October 2014:
      "The best thing to happen to Dannii's career was that my mother hated her," tweeted Kelly. "[] Dannii you are so lucky that I respect Simon enough to not tell the truth about what really happened. wa wa wa you poor middle aged victum [sic]."
    • 2016 February 9, Heidi Parker, “'I thought what's the point in going on after 30?': Megan Fox, 29, reveals to Ellen DeGeneres she has a deep fear of aging”, in Daily Mail[2], London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 February 2016:
      Wa wa wa: 'When you're young, that sounds so old. When you're in high school or even when you're in your early 20s, it still sounds like, "By the time I'm 30, I should just give up."' the siren, who has been guest starring on The New Girl, said
    • 2019 July 30, Christian Berthelsen, William Turton, Jennifer Surane, “Tipster’s email led to arrest in massive Capital One breach”, in Los Angeles Times[3], Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 July 2019:
      Wa wa wa wa, wa wa wa wa wa wa wawaaaaaaaaaaaa,” [Paige] Thompson responded, and later added, “I just don’t want it around though. I gotta find somewhere to store it.”
    • 2020 May 15, Heidi Parker, “Mary-Kate Olsen, 33, and Olivier Sarkozy, 50, are slammed by Wendy Williams amid divorce drama: 'He looked like he was dating his daughter'”, in Daily Mail[4], London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 15 May 2020:
      'If you live in a building then you know a lot of times the freight elevator is not open over the weekend, even if you are an Olsen twin and worth over $250 million they are not going to open it up for you. / 'Wa wa wa,' she said.
    • 2025 August 8, Sophie Carlin, “Shopkeeper is stunned when police tell him to change sign calling shoplifters 'scumbags' because it may be offensive”, in Daily Mail[5], London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 8 August 2025:
      And commenters on a Facebook post he made about it found it just as funny: 'Spare a tiny violin for those of us who have their pearls well and truly culutched,[sic] wa, wa, wa.'

See also

Anagrams

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch wagen.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vɑː/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

wa (plural waens, diminutive waentjie)

  1. wagon
  2. cart
  3. automobile, car

Synonyms

Derived terms

Amele

Noun

wa

  1. water

References

Anguthimri

Noun

wa

  1. (Mpakwithi) grey hair

References

  • Terry Crowley, The Mpakwithi dialect of Anguthimri (1981), page 189

Antigua and Barbuda Creole English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From English what.

Determiner

wa

  1. what

Antillean Creole

Etymology

From French roi.

Noun

wa

  1. king

Ao

Verb

wa

  1. (Mongsen) to go
    Synonym: (Chungli) ao

Atong (India)

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-wa. Cognate with Garo wa (tooth, tusk), Jingpho wa (tooth), Burmese သွား (swa:), and Tibetan སོ (so).

Noun

wa

  1. tooth, tusk

References

Bambara

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [wà]

Particle

wa

  1. final interrogative particle on a yes/no question

Bangi

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-kúa (to die), from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *kwwú- (to die).

Verb

wa

  1. to die

Derived terms

Baoule

Adverb

wa

  1. here

Bassa

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [wā]

Pronoun

wa

  1. they, them

Verb

wa

  1. to break

References

Bau

Noun

wa

  1. water

Further reading

Boloki

Verb

wa

  1. to die

Butmas-Tur

Noun

wa

  1. water

References

Canela

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʋa/

Noun

wa

  1. third-person of xwa

Chichewa

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From u- +‎ a or Proto-Bantu *jʊ̀á- but used as a particle. Compare Swahili wa.

Particle

wa

  1. Class 1 inflected form of -a.
Derived terms
  • wakuba (thief)
  • wakuda (black person)
  • wakudya (eater)
  • wakudza (stranger, foreigner)
  • wakufa (dead person, corpse)
  • wakunja (heathen, pagan)
  • wakupha (killer)
  • wakutha (expert)
  • wamalilime (person who speaks in tongues)
  • wamaliseche (naked person)
  • wamanja (skilled person)
  • wamathanyula (homosexual)
  • wapakati (pregnant woman)

Etymology 2

From u- +‎ a or Proto-Bantu *gʊ́á- but used as a particle.

Particle

wa

  1. Class 3 inflected form of -a.

Etymology 3

From u- +‎ a or Proto-Bantu *bʊ́á- but used as a particle.

  1. Class 14 inflected form of -a.

See also

Inflected forms of -a
singular plural
class 1 wa class 2 a
class 3 wa class 4 ya
class 5 la class 6 a
class 7 cha class 8 za
class 9 ya class 10 za
class 12 ka class 13 ta
class 14 wa
class 15 kwa
locative classes
class 16 class 17 class 18
pa kwa mwa

Edo

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Edoid *bhaɪ (you (plural)). Cognate with Urhobo (you (plural)) and Isoko wha/whai.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /wà/

Pronoun

wa

  1. Second person plural pronoun.

References

  • Hans Melzian, Ph.D (1937), A Concise Dictionary of the Bini Language of Southern Nigeria[6], Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., LTD., page 219
  • Rebecca N. Agheyisi (1986), An Ẹdo - English Dictionary[7], Ethiope Publishing Corporation, page 160

Egyptian

Romanization

wa

  1. Manuel de Codage transliteration of wꜥ.

Etulo

Verb

  1. drink
    ḿ wēnîI drink water
    ḿ wēnīI drank water

References

  • Rose-Juliet Anyanwu, Fundamentals of Phonetics, Phonology and Tonology (2008)

Garo

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sV-wa. Cognate with Jingpho wa (tooth), Burmese သွား (swa:), and Tibetan སོ (so).

Noun

wa

  1. tooth

Gele'

Noun

wa

  1. water

German

Etymology 1

Clipping of nicht wahr? ((is it) not true?).

Pronunciation 1

  • IPA(key): /va/
Particle

wa

  1. (colloquial, regional, parts of northern and central Germany) right?; is it?; is it not?
    Synonyms: ne, oder, gell; see also Thesaurus:nicht wahr
    Wir müssen da lang, wa?
    We need to go this way, don't we?

Pronunciation 2

  • IPA(key): /vah/, /vhah/
    • IPA(key): [ʋæh], [ʋhæh] (parts of northern Germany)
Particle

wa

  1. (colloquial, potentially rude) what, huh (expresses that something was extremely hard to understand acoustically or outlandish in content)
    Synonyms: , hüä; was
Usage notes
  • Also spelled wat. Especially common in Hamburg and western Holstein, where dialects traditionally drop final /t/ (especially after fricatives).

Etymology 2

Pronoun

wa

  1. (colloquial) pronunciation spelling of wir

Gilbertese

Noun

wa

  1. pirogue

Gun

Etymology

Stemming from the possible Proto-Gbe *bá, *vá, *wá or *ɓá.[1] Cognates include Fon , Saxwe Gbe va, Aja (West Africa) va, Ewe va. Possibly also cognates with Yoruba , Itsekiri , Olukumi

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /wá/

Verb

  1. to come

References

  1. ^ Capo, Hounkpati B.C. (1991), A Comparative Phonology of Gbe (Publications in African Languages and Linguistics; 14), Berlin/New York; Garome, Benin: Foris Publications & Labo Gbe (Int), page 213

Haitian Creole

Alternative forms

Etymology

From French roi (king).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /wa/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

wa

  1. king

See also

Ifè

Alternative forms

Etymology

cognate with Yoruba

Pronunciation

Verb

wa ()

  1. come

Jamaican Creole

Etymology

Derived from English what.

Pronunciation

Determiner

wa

  1. what
    Wa yu se?
    What did you say?

Further reading

  • wa at majstro.com

Japanese

Romanization

wa

  1. The hiragana syllable (wa) or the katakana syllable (wa) in Hepburn romanization.
  2. The hiragana syllable (wa) or the katakana syllable (wa) in Hepburn romanization. (as particle)
  3. The katakana syllable ウァ (wa) in Hepburn romanization.

Kapampangan

Interjection

wa

  1. alternative spelling of ua

Kashubian

Etymology

    Inherited from Proto-Slavic *va.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈva/
    • Rhymes: -a
    • Syllabification: wa

    Pronoun

    wa

    1. second-person plural pronoun; you

    Declension

    Declension of wa
    plural
    nominative wa
    genitive was, waju
    dative wama
    accusative was, waju
    instrumental wama
    locative was, waju

    Further reading

    • Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011), “wy”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi[8]
    • wa”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

    Kituba

    Verb

    wa

    1. to hear

    Kumeyaay

    Noun

    wa

    1. house

    Ladino

    Etymology

    Probably from Moroccan Arabic ايوه (iwa).

    Interjection

    wa

    1. (Haketia) so (used to introduce a new conversation or topic)

    Lashi

    Pronunciation

    • (Waingmaw) IPA(key): [wa˧˧]
    • Hyphenation: wa

    Particle

    wa

    1. Used to mark the preceding verb for the future tense.
      • 2005, “Apoem ayang꞉ 3:13 [Genesis 3:13]”, in Jhoem꞉ mougsougˮ [The Book of the Bible]‎[9], page 5:
        Lhangmyu gi hau꞉ shiˮ ri zoo꞉ wa shid reˮ ngoo ri jhuˮ phyoʼ.
        The snake deceived me to eat that fruit.

    References

    • Hkaw Luk (2017), A grammatical sketch of Lacid[10], Chiang Mai: Payap University (master thesis), page 38

    Lingala

    Etymology

    Borrowed from Bangi wa.

    Verb

    -wa (infinitive kowa)

    1. to die

    Lorediakarkar

    Noun

    wa

    1. water

    Luba-Kasai

    Preposition

    wa

    1. of

    Mandarin

    Romanization

    wa (wa5 / wa0, Zhuyin ˙ㄨㄚ)

    1. Hanyu Pinyin reading of

    wa

    1. nonstandard spelling of
    2. nonstandard spelling of
    3. nonstandard spelling of
    4. nonstandard spelling of

    Usage notes

    • Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

    Marshallese

    Etymology

    From Proto-Micronesian *waxa, from Proto-Oceanic *waga, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waŋka, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *waŋka.

    Cognate with Māori waka, Tongan vaka and Hawaiian waʻa.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    wa

    1. canoe, ship, boat
    2. vehicle

    References

    Mokilese

    Verb

    wa

    1. to carry

    Derived terms

    Moriori

    Noun

    wa

    1. plural definite article the.

    References

    • Shand, Alexander (1894), “The Moriori People of the Chatham Islands: Their Traditions and History”, in The Journal of the Polynesian Society[11]

    Muong

    Etymology

    From Chinese (MC xwae). Cognate with Vietnamese hoa.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /waː¹/, [waː¹ ~ βaː¹]

    Noun

    wa

    1. (Mường Bi) flower
      Synonym: pông

    Northern Ndebele

    Etymology

    From Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a.

    Verb

    -wa

    1. to fall

    Inflection

    This entry needs an inflection-table template.

    Northern Sotho

    Etymology

    From Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a.

    Verb

    wa

    1. to fall

    Oirata

    Noun

    wa

    1. pea, bean

    Old English

    Alternative forms

    Etymology

    From Proto-West Germanic *wai, from Proto-Germanic *wai, from Proto-Indo-European *wai.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /wɑː/
    • Rhymes: -ɑː

    Interjection

    1. woe! alas! (expression of grief or anguish)

    Derived terms

    Adverb

    1. woe, ill

    Descendants

    • Middle English: wa, wo, woo

    Old Javanese

    Etymology

    From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *baʀah.

    Noun

    wa

    1. ember, glowing coal

    Ottawa

    Pronoun

    wa anim sg (plural niwi, obviative giwi)

    1. that

    References

    • Jerry Randolph Valentine (2001), Nishnaabemwin Reference Grammar, University of Toronto, page 123

    Panim

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /wæ/

    Noun

    wa

    1. water

    Further reading

    Peranakan Indonesian

    Etymology

    Borrowed from Chinese Hokkien (óa, “I, me, my”).

    Pronoun

    wa

    1. I; me; my (first person pronoun)

    Phuthi

    Etymology

    From Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a.

    Verb

    -wa

    1. to fall

    Inflection

    This entry needs an inflection-table template.

    Polish

    Etymology

      Inherited from Proto-Slavic *va.

      Pronunciation

      Pronoun

      wa

      1. first-person dual pronoun; we

      Further reading

      • Zygmunt Wasilewski (1889), “wa”, in Jagodne: wieś w powiecie łukowskim, gminie Dąbie: zarys etnograficzny[12] (in Polish), Warsaw: M. Arct, page 248

      Polonombauk

      Noun

      wa

      1. water

      Sa

      Noun

      wa

      1. water

      Scots

      Alternative forms

      Etymology

      Inherited from Middle English wal, from Old English weall, from Proto-West Germanic *wall, from Latin vallum.

      Noun

      wa (plural was)

      1. wall

      References

      Shark Bay

      Noun

      wa

      1. water

      Slovincian

      Etymology

        Inherited from Proto-Slavic *va.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˈva/
        • Rhymes: -a
        • Syllabification: wa

        Pronoun

        wa

        1. second person dual pronoun you two

        Further reading

        Sotho

        Etymology

        Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a (to fall), from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *gwa (to fall).

        Verb

        wa

        1. to fall

        Spanish

        Etymology

        Borrowed from English wow.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˈwa/ [ˈwa]
        • Rhymes: -a
        • Syllabification: wa

        Interjection

        wa

        1. (Panama, Venezuela) wow
          Synonyms: wow, guao

        Further reading

        Sumerian

        Romanization

        wa

        1. romanization of 𒉿 (wa)

        Swahili

        Pronunciation

        Etymology 1

        Other scripts
        Ajami ـوَ

        Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-báa (to become). The original copula was -li, which survives in relative forms. The form ni was a focus marker, while si appears to have been a general negative marker. In modern standard Swahili, these all came together into one paradigm.[1]

        Verb

        -wa (infinitive kuwa)

        1. to be
          Wewe ni nani?Who are you?
          • 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi[14], stanza 13:
            اَوُرَكِيْبُوُ جُوَ نِمَاسِ ، كَكُلَ خَسَرَ اُخَسِرِيِ
            Aurakibuo jua ni-mwasi, kwa-kula khasara ukhasiriye.
            The one who rides it, know you are a rebel; you harm yourself.
        2. (in positive present) to become
          Inakuwa baridi.It is getting cold.
        3. (auxiliary) dummy verb that takes tense marking while the main verb takes aspect marking
          nilikuwa ninaandikaI was writing
        4. (with specified location) stem of -wapo, -wako, or -wamo
        5. (with na or a form thereof) stem of -wa na
        Usage notes

        The copula is often omitted in colloquial speech in the present tense, for example:

        Conjugation
        Conjugation of -wa (irregular)
        Positive present -nakuwa
        Gnomic ni
        Subjunctive -we
        Negative si
        Imperative singular kuwa
        Infinitives
        Positive kuwa
        Negative kutokuwa
        Imperatives
        Singular kuwa
        Plural kuweni
        Tensed forms
        Habitual huwa
        Positive past positive subject concord + -likuwa
        Negative past negative subject concord + -kuwa
        Positive present (positive subject concord + -nakuwa)
        Singular Plural
        1st person ninakuwa/nakuwa tunakuwa
        2nd person unakuwa mnakuwa
        3rd person m-wa(I/II) anakuwa wanakuwa
        other classes positive subject concord + -nakuwa
        Negative present si
        Positive future positive subject concord + -takuwa
        Negative future negative subject concord + -takuwa
        Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -we)
        Singular Plural
        1st person niwe tuwe
        2nd person uwe muwe
        3rd person m-wa(I/II) awe wawe
        other classes positive subject concord + -we
        Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -siwe
        Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngekuwa
        Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singekuwa
        Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalikuwa
        Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalikuwa
        Gnomic ni
        Perfect positive subject concord + -mekuwa
        "Already" positive subject concord + -meshakuwa
        "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jawa
        "If/When" positive subject concord + -kiwa
        "If not" positive subject concord + -sipokuwa
        Consecutive kawa / positive subject concord + -kawa
        Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kawe
        Object concord
        Relative forms
        General positive (positive subject concord + -li- + relative marker)
        Singular Plural
        m-wa(I/II) -liye -lio
        m-mi(III/IV) -lio -liyo
        ji-ma(V/VI) -lilo -liyo
        ki-vi(VII/VIII) -licho -livyo
        n(IX/X) -liyo -lizo
        u(XI) -lio see n(X) or ma(VI) class
        ku(XV/XVII) -liko
        pa(XVI) -lipo
        mu(XVIII) -limo
        General negative (positive subject concord + -si- + relative marker)
        Singular Plural
        m-wa(I/II) -siye -sio
        m-mi(III/IV) -sio -siyo
        ji-ma(V/VI) -silo -siyo
        ki-vi(VII/VIII) -sicho -sivyo
        n(IX/X) -siyo -sizo
        u(XI) -sio see n(X) or ma(VI) class
        ku(XV/XVII) -siko
        pa(XVI) -sipo
        mu(XVIII) -simo
        Other forms (subject concord + tense marker[sw-conj 1] + relative marker + -kuwa)
        Singular Plural
        m-wa(I/II) -yekuwa -okuwa
        m-mi(III/IV) -okuwa -yokuwa
        ji-ma(V/VI) -lokuwa -yokuwa
        ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chokuwa -vyokuwa
        n(IX/X) -yokuwa -zokuwa
        u(XI) -okuwa see n(X) or ma(VI) class
        ku(XV/XVII) -kokuwa
        pa(XVI) -pokuwa
        mu(XVIII) -mokuwa
        1. ^ Only past tense -li- or future tense -taka-. For the present, use general positive.
        Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

        Etymology 2

        Other scripts
        Ajami وَـ

        Particle

        wa

        1. m-wa class(I/II)/m class(III)/u class(XI) inflected form of -a
          • 18th century, Abdallah bin Ali bin Nasir, Al-Inkishafi[15], stanza 14:
            نِكَمَ كِسِمَ كِسِگُ وُمْبِّ ، كِنْيِ مْتَپَاءَ مَانَ وَغُمْبِ
            Ni-kama kisima kisicho ombe, chenye mta-paa mwana wa-ng'ombe,
            It is like a shallow well where charges a young bull;

        References

        1. ^ John H. McWhorter (1992), “NI and the Copula System in Swahili: A Diachronic Approach”, in Diachronica, volume 9, number 1, →DOI, pages 15–46

        Tagalog

        Etymology 1

        Influenced by Baybayin character (wa).

        Pronunciation

        Noun

        wa (Baybayin spelling )

        1. the name of the Latin script letter W/w, in the Abakada alphabet
          Synonym: (in the Filipino alphabet) dobolyu

        See also

        Etymology 2

        Pronunciation

        Interjection

        wa (Baybayin spelling )

        1. shoo; used to drive away pigs and other animals
        2. used to express surprise, dismay, or sometimes a joke
        See also

        Etymology 3

        Pronunciation

        Interjection

        (Baybayin spelling )

        1. said to make small children and babies laugh (usually said when playing peekaboo)

        Etymology 4

        Contraction of wala.

        Pronunciation

        Adjective

        (Baybayin spelling ) (slang)

        1. alternative form of wala
        Usage notes
        • Cannot be the final word of a clause or sentence.
        Derived terms

        Further reading

        • wa”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018

        Anagrams

        Tapayuna

        Etymology 1

        From Proto-Northern Jê *ba (I) < Proto-Cerrado *waj’ (I).

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): [ˈwa]

        Pronoun

        wa

        1. I (nominative case)

        Etymology 2

        From Proto-Northern Jê *mba (liver) < Proto-Cerrado *mba (liver) < Proto-Jê *mba (liver).

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): [ˈw̃a]

        Noun

        wa

        1. liver

        Ternate

        Etymology

        Shortening of the negation particle ua.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): [ˈwa]

        Particle

        wa

        1. sentence-final confirmation particle; isn't it?
          Bira moi rai, wa?The rice is already finished, right?
        2. sentence-final that indicates the speaker knows or should know what is being said
          Ngori tonyodi kolano ua, wa.I did not see the king, as you know.
          Piring ma riha, wa; ngomi ino misibela romodidi se ngomi.
          We divide the plates (red, as you know) between the two of us.
          (literally, “The plates that are red as you know; we here divided them into two for us.”)

        References

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

        Torres Strait Creole

        Adverb

        wa

        1. yes

        Tsonga

        Etymology

        Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a (to fall), from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *gwa (to fall).

        Verb

        wa

        1. to fall

        Tswana

        Etymology

        Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a (to fall), from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *gwa (to fall).

        Verb

        wa

        1. to fall

        Tumbuka

        Etymology 1

        Either from u- +‎ a or from Proto-Bantu *jʊ̀á- but used as a particle.

        Particle

        wa

        1. Class 1 inflected form of -a.
        Derived terms

        Etymology 2

        Either from u- +‎ a or from Proto-Bantu *gʊ́á- but used as a particle.

        Particle

        wa

        1. Class 3 inflected form of -a.

        Etymology 3

        Either from u- +‎ a or from Proto-Bantu *bʊ́á- but used as a particle.

        Particle

        wa

        1. Class 14 inflected form of -a.

        Unami

        Pronunciation

        Pronoun

        wa anim

        1. this (animate)

        See also

        Unami demonstrative pronouns
        animate inanimate obviative
        proximal singular (“this”) wa, wàn, wàni yu, yun, yuni yul, yuli
        distal singular (“that”) na, nàn, nàni , nën, nëni
        proximal plural (“these”) yuki, yuk yuli, yul nèl
        distal plural (“those”) nèki, nèk nèl
        absentative1 distal singular naka nike
        absentative1 distal plural nèl nikahke
        absentative1 proximal singular waka

        1 Inaccessible to speaker, deceased

        Venda

        Etymology

        Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a (to fall), from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *gwa (to fall).

        Verb

        wa

        1. to fall

        West Flemish

        Etymology

        From Proto-Germanic *hwat, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷod.

        Pronoun

        wa

        1. (interrogative) what

        West Frisian

        Etymology

        From Old Frisian hwā, from Proto-West Germanic *hwaʀ.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /vaː/

        Pronoun

        wa

        1. who (interrogative)
          Wa binne jo?
          Who are you?

        Derived terms

        Further reading

        • wa (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

        West Makian

        Etymology 1

        Pronunciation

        Verb

        wa

        1. (intransitive) to stay
        Conjugation
        Conjugation of wa (action verb)
        singular plural
        inclusive exclusive
        1st person tawa mawa awa
        2nd person nawa fawa
        3rd person inanimate iwa dawa
        animate
        imperative nawa, wa fawa, wa

        Etymology 2

        Pronunciation

        Adverb

        wa

        1. also

        References

        • Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours[16], Pacific linguistics

        Woleaian

        Etymology

        Cognate with Mokilese war (canoe)

        Noun

        wa

        1. canoe

        Xhosa

        Etymology

        Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a (to fall), from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *gwa (to fall).

        Verb

        -wa

        1. (intransitive) to fall

        Inflection

        This verb needs an inflection-table template.

        Yao

        Etymology

        Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-kúa, from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *kwwú- (to die).

        Verb

        -wa (infinitive kuwa, perfect -wile)

        1. to die

        Derived terms

        Yoruba

        Alternative forms

        Etymology 1

          Cognate with Igala wa

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /wā/

          Determiner

          wa

          1. our (first-person plural possessive pronoun)
          See also
          Yoruba possessive pronouns
          singular plural or honorific
          1st person mi wa
          2nd person (r) yín
          3rd person (r)ẹ̀ wọn

          Etymology 2

            Pronunciation

            • IPA(key): /wà/

            Verb

            1. to be (have a location in space)
            Derived terms
            • ọmọlúàbí, ọmọlúwàbí (person of good character)
            • wíwà (existence)
            • ìwà (character)

            Etymology 3

              From Proto-Edekiri *wá compare with the Proto-Gbe *bá, Proto-Gbe *vá, Proto-Gbe *wá, or Proto-Gbe *ɓá. Cognates include Fon , Gun , Aja (West Africa) , Saxwe Gbe va, Ewe va from the Gbe languages, in addition to Akan bra, Akan ba, Nkonya ba

              Pronunciation

              • IPA(key): /wá/

              Verb

              1. come
                Synonym: bọ̀
              Synonyms
              Yoruba varieties and languages: (to come)
              view map; edit data
              Language familyVariety groupVariety/languageSubdialectLocationWords
              Proto-Itsekiri-SEYSoutheast YorubaÀoÌdóàní
              Eastern ÀkókóÌkàrẹ́Ìkàrẹ́ Àkókó (Ùkàrẹ́)
              ÀkùngbáÀkùngbá Àkókó
              ṢúpárèṢúpárè Àkókó
              Ọ̀bàỌ̀bà Àkókó
              Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)Ìdànrè (Ùdànè, Ùdànrè)
              Ìjẹ̀búÌjẹ̀búÌjẹ̀bú Òde
              Rẹ́mọẸ̀pẹ́
              Ìkòròdú
              Ṣágámù
              Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)Òkìtìpupa
              Ìlàjẹ (Ùlàjẹ)Mahin
              OǹdóOǹdó
              Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀)Ọ̀wọ̀ (Ọ̀ghọ̀), ghá
              UsẹnUsẹn
              ÌtsẹkírìÌwẹrẹ
              OlùkùmiUgbódù
              Proto-YorubaCentral YorubaÈkìtìÈkìtìÀdó Èkìtìá
              Òdè Èkìtìá
              Awó Èkìtìá
              Ìfàkì Èkìtìá
              Àkúrẹ́Àkúrẹ́á
              Mọ̀bàỌ̀tùn Èkìtìghá, á
              Ifẹ̀ (Ufẹ̀)Ilé Ifẹ̀ (Ulé Ufẹ̀)á, ghá
              Ìjẹ̀ṣà (Ùjẹ̀ṣà)Iléṣà (Uléṣà)á
              Northwest YorubaÀwórìÈbúté Mẹ́tà
              Ẹ̀gbáAbẹ́òkúta
              Ẹ̀gbádòÌjàká
              ÈkóÈkó
              ÌbàdànÌbàdàn
              ÌbàràpáIgbó Òrà
              Ìbọ̀lọ́Òṣogbo (Òsogbo)
              ÌgbómìnàÌlá Ọ̀ràngún
              ÌlọrinÌlọrin
              OǹkóÒtù
              Ìwéré Ilé
              Òkèhò
              Ìsẹ́yìn
              Ṣakí
              Tedé
              Ìgbẹ́tì
              Ọ̀yọ́Ọ̀yọ́
              Standard YorùbáNàìjíríà
              Bɛ̀nɛ̀
              Northeast Yoruba/OkunÌyàgbàÌsánlú Ìtẹ̀dóghá
              OwéKabbaghá
              Ede languages/Southwest YorubaAnaSokode
              Cábɛ̀ɛ́Cábɛ̀ɛ́ (Ìdàdú)
              Tchaourou
              Ǹcà (Ìcà, Ìncà)Baàtɛ
              ÌdàácàBeninIgbó Ìdàácà (Dasa Zunmɛ̀)
              Ọ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí-ÌjèỌ̀họ̀rí/Ɔ̀hɔ̀rí/ÌjèÌkpòbɛ́
              Onigbolo
              Kétu/ÀnàgóKétu
              Ifɛ̀Akpáré
              Atakpamɛ
              Boko
              Moretan
              Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)
              KuraAledjo-Koura
              Awotébi
              Partago
              Mɔ̄kɔ́léKandinàá
              Northern NagoKambole
              Manigri
              Overseas YorubaLucumíHavanagua
              Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

              Etymology 4

                Pronunciation

                • IPA(key): /wá/

                Verb

                1. to look for
                Derived terms
                • wájà (look for a fight)

                Etymology 5

                  Pronunciation

                  • IPA(key): /wà/

                  Verb

                  1. to drive
                  Derived terms
                  • wakọ̀ (to drive a car)

                  Zacatepec Chatino

                  Pronoun

                  wa

                  1. we (exclusive)

                  Zarma

                  Noun

                  wa

                  1. milk

                  Zay

                  Etymology

                  Cognate to Silt'e [script needed] (-wa:).

                  Conjunction

                  wa

                  1. and

                  References

                  • Initial SLLE Survey of the Zway Area by Klaus Wedekind and Charlotte Wedekind

                  Zia

                  Noun

                  wa

                  1. rain

                  Zulu

                  Etymology

                  Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-gʊ̀a (to fall), from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *gwa (to fall).

                  Verb

                  -wa

                  1. (intransitive) to fall, to drop

                  Inflection

                  tone L (infinitive ukuwa)
                  positive negative
                  infinitive ukuwa ukungawi
                  imperative
                  simple + object concord
                  singular yiwa -we
                  plural yiwani -weni
                  present
                  positive absolute positive relative positive participial negative absolute negative relative negative participial
                  1st singular ngiyawa, ngiwa engiwayo, engiwa ngiwa angiwi engingawi ngingawi
                  2nd singular uyawa, uwa owayo, owa uwa awuwi ongawi ungawi
                  1st plural siyawa, siwa esiwayo, esiwa siwa asiwi esingawi singawi
                  2nd plural niyawa, niwa eniwayo, eniwa niwa aniwi eningawi ningawi
                  class 1 uyawa, uwa owayo, owa ewa akawi ongawi engawi
                  class 2 bayawa, bawa abawayo, abawa bewa abawi abangawi bengawi
                  class 3 uyawa, uwa owayo, owa uwa awuwi ongawi ungawi
                  class 4 iyawa, iwa ewayo, ewa iwa ayiwi engawi ingawi
                  class 5 liyawa, liwa eliwayo, eliwa liwa aliwi elingawi lingawi
                  class 6 ayawa, awa awayo, awa ewa awawi angawi engawi
                  class 7 siyawa, siwa esiwayo, esiwa siwa asiwi esingawi singawi
                  class 8 ziyawa, ziwa eziwayo, eziwa ziwa aziwi ezingawi zingawi
                  class 9 iyawa, iwa ewayo, ewa iwa ayiwi engawi ingawi
                  class 10 ziyawa, ziwa eziwayo, eziwa ziwa aziwi ezingawi zingawi
                  class 11 luyawa, luwa oluwayo, oluwa luwa aluwi olungawi lungawi
                  class 14 buyawa, buwa obuwayo, obuwa buwa abuwi obungawi bungawi
                  class 15 kuyawa, kuwa okuwayo, okuwa kuwa akuwi okungawi kungawi
                  class 17 kuyawa, kuwa okuwayo, okuwa kuwa akuwi okungawi kungawi
                  recent past
                  positive absolute positive relative positive participial negative absolute negative relative negative participial
                  1st singular ngiwile, ngiwē engiwile, engiwē ngiwile, ngiwē angiwanga engingawanga ngingawanga
                  2nd singular uwile, uwē owile, owē uwile, uwē awuwanga ongawanga ungawanga
                  1st plural siwile, siwē esiwile, esiwē siwile, siwē asiwanga esingawanga singawanga
                  2nd plural niwile, niwē eniwile, eniwē niwile, niwē aniwanga eningawanga ningawanga
                  class 1 uwile, uwē owile, owē ewile, ewē akawanga ongawanga engawanga
                  class 2 bawile, bawē abawile, abawē bewile, bewē abawanga abangawanga bengawanga
                  class 3 uwile, uwē owile, owē uwile, uwē awuwanga ongawanga ungawanga
                  class 4 iwile, iwē ewile, ewē iwile, iwē ayiwanga engawanga ingawanga
                  class 5 liwile, liwē eliwile, eliwē liwile, liwē aliwanga elingawanga lingawanga
                  class 6 awile, awē awile, awē ewile, ewē awawanga angawanga engawanga
                  class 7 siwile, siwē esiwile, esiwē siwile, siwē asiwanga esingawanga singawanga
                  class 8 ziwile, ziwē eziwile, eziwē ziwile, ziwē aziwanga ezingawanga zingawanga
                  class 9 iwile, iwē ewile, ewē iwile, iwē ayiwanga engawanga ingawanga
                  class 10 ziwile, ziwē eziwile, eziwē ziwile, ziwē aziwanga ezingawanga zingawanga
                  class 11 luwile, luwē oluwile, oluwē luwile, luwē aluwanga olungawanga lungawanga
                  class 14 buwile, buwē obuwile, obuwē buwile, buwē abuwanga obungawanga bungawanga
                  class 15 kuwile, kuwē okuwile, okuwē kuwile, kuwē akuwanga okungawanga kungawanga
                  class 17 kuwile, kuwē okuwile, okuwē kuwile, kuwē akuwanga okungawanga kungawanga
                  remote past
                  positive absolute positive relative positive participial negative absolute negative relative negative participial
                  1st singular ngāwa engāwa ngāwa angiwanga engingawanga ngingawanga
                  2nd singular wāwa owāwa wāwa awuwanga ongawanga ungawanga
                  1st plural sāwa esāwa sāwa asiwanga esingawanga singawanga
                  2nd plural nāwa enāwa nāwa aniwanga eningawanga ningawanga
                  class 1 wāwa owāwa āwa akawanga ongawanga engawanga
                  class 2 bāwa abāwa bāwa abawanga abangawanga bengawanga
                  class 3 wāwa owāwa wāwa awuwanga ongawanga ungawanga
                  class 4 yāwa eyāwa yāwa ayiwanga engawanga ingawanga
                  class 5 lāwa elāwa lāwa aliwanga elingawanga lingawanga
                  class 6 āwa āwa āwa awawanga angawanga engawanga
                  class 7 sāwa esāwa sāwa asiwanga esingawanga singawanga
                  class 8 zāwa ezāwa zāwa aziwanga ezingawanga zingawanga
                  class 9 yāwa eyāwa yāwa ayiwanga engawanga ingawanga
                  class 10 zāwa ezāwa zāwa aziwanga ezingawanga zingawanga
                  class 11 lwāwa olwāwa lwāwa aluwanga olungawanga lungawanga
                  class 14 bāwa obāwa bāwa abuwanga obungawanga bungawanga
                  class 15 kwāwa okwāwa kwāwa akuwanga okungawanga kungawanga
                  class 17 kwāwa okwāwa kwāwa akuwanga okungawanga kungawanga
                  potential
                  positive absolute positive relative positive participial negative absolute negative relative negative participial
                  1st singular ngingawa ngingawa ngingewe ngingewe
                  2nd singular ungawa ungawa ungewe ungewe
                  1st plural singawa singawa singewe singewe
                  2nd plural ningawa ningawa ningewe ningewe
                  class 1 angawa engawa angewe engewe
                  class 2 bangawa bengawa bangewe bengewe
                  class 3 ungawa ungawa ungewe ungewe
                  class 4 ingawa ingawa ingewe ingewe
                  class 5 lingawa lingawa lingewe lingewe
                  class 6 angawa engawa angewe engewe
                  class 7 singawa singawa singewe singewe
                  class 8 zingawa zingawa zingewe zingewe
                  class 9 ingawa ingawa ingewe ingewe
                  class 10 zingawa zingawa zingewe zingewe
                  class 11 lungawa lungawa lungewe lungewe
                  class 14 bungawa bungawa bungewe bungewe
                  class 15 kungawa kungawa kungewe kungewe
                  class 17 kungawa kungawa kungewe kungewe
                  immediate future
                  positive absolute positive relative positive participial negative absolute negative relative negative participial
                  1st singular ngizokuwa engizokuwa ngizokuwa angizukuwa engingezukuwa ngingezukuwa
                  2nd singular uzokuwa ozokuwa uzokuwa awuzukuwa ongezukuwa ungezukuwa
                  1st plural sizokuwa esizokuwa sizokuwa asizukuwa esingezukuwa singezukuwa
                  2nd plural nizokuwa enizokuwa nizokuwa anizukuwa eningezukuwa ningezukuwa
                  class 1 uzokuwa ozokuwa ezokuwa akazukuwa ongezukuwa engezukuwa
                  class 2 bazokuwa abazokuwa bezokuwa abazukuwa abangezukuwa bengezukuwa
                  class 3 uzokuwa ozokuwa uzokuwa awuzukuwa ongezukuwa ungezukuwa
                  class 4 izokuwa ezokuwa izokuwa ayizukuwa engezukuwa ingezukuwa
                  class 5 lizokuwa elizokuwa lizokuwa alizukuwa elingezukuwa lingezukuwa
                  class 6 azokuwa azokuwa ezokuwa awazukuwa angezukuwa engezukuwa
                  class 7 sizokuwa esizokuwa sizokuwa asizukuwa esingezukuwa singezukuwa
                  class 8 zizokuwa ezizokuwa zizokuwa azizukuwa ezingezukuwa zingezukuwa
                  class 9 izokuwa ezokuwa izokuwa ayizukuwa engezukuwa ingezukuwa
                  class 10 zizokuwa ezizokuwa zizokuwa azizukuwa ezingezukuwa zingezukuwa
                  class 11 luzokuwa oluzokuwa luzokuwa aluzukuwa olungezukuwa lungezukuwa
                  class 14 buzokuwa obuzokuwa buzokuwa abuzukuwa obungezukuwa bungezukuwa
                  class 15 kuzokuwa okuzokuwa kuzokuwa akuzukuwa okungezukuwa kungezukuwa
                  class 17 kuzokuwa okuzokuwa kuzokuwa akuzukuwa okungezukuwa kungezukuwa
                  remote future
                  positive absolute positive relative positive participial negative absolute negative relative negative participial
                  1st singular ngiyokuwa engiyokuwa ngiyokuwa angiyukuwa engingeyukuwa ngingeyukuwa
                  2nd singular uyokuwa oyokuwa uyokuwa awuyukuwa ongeyukuwa ungeyukuwa
                  1st plural siyokuwa esiyokuwa siyokuwa asiyukuwa esingeyukuwa singeyukuwa
                  2nd plural niyokuwa eniyokuwa niyokuwa aniyukuwa eningeyukuwa ningeyukuwa
                  class 1 uyokuwa oyokuwa eyokuwa akayukuwa ongeyukuwa engeyukuwa
                  class 2 bayokuwa abayokuwa beyokuwa abayukuwa abangeyukuwa bengeyukuwa
                  class 3 uyokuwa oyokuwa uyokuwa awuyukuwa ongeyukuwa ungeyukuwa
                  class 4 iyokuwa eyokuwa iyokuwa ayiyukuwa engeyukuwa ingeyukuwa
                  class 5 liyokuwa eliyokuwa liyokuwa aliyukuwa elingeyukuwa lingeyukuwa
                  class 6 ayokuwa ayokuwa eyokuwa awayukuwa angeyukuwa engeyukuwa
                  class 7 siyokuwa esiyokuwa siyokuwa asiyukuwa esingeyukuwa singeyukuwa
                  class 8 ziyokuwa eziyokuwa ziyokuwa aziyukuwa ezingeyukuwa zingeyukuwa
                  class 9 iyokuwa eyokuwa iyokuwa ayiyukuwa engeyukuwa ingeyukuwa
                  class 10 ziyokuwa eziyokuwa ziyokuwa aziyukuwa ezingeyukuwa zingeyukuwa
                  class 11 luyokuwa oluyokuwa luyokuwa aluyukuwa olungeyukuwa lungeyukuwa
                  class 14 buyokuwa obuyokuwa buyokuwa abuyukuwa obungeyukuwa bungeyukuwa
                  class 15 kuyokuwa okuyokuwa kuyokuwa akuyukuwa okungeyukuwa kungeyukuwa
                  class 17 kuyokuwa okuyokuwa kuyokuwa akuyukuwa okungeyukuwa kungeyukuwa
                  present subjunctive
                  positive negative
                  1st singular ngiwe ngingawi
                  2nd singular uwe ungawi
                  1st plural siwe singawi
                  2nd plural niwe ningawi
                  class 1 awe angawi
                  class 2 bawe bangawi
                  class 3 uwe ungawi
                  class 4 iwe ingawi
                  class 5 liwe lingawi
                  class 6 awe angawi
                  class 7 siwe singawi
                  class 8 ziwe zingawi
                  class 9 iwe ingawi
                  class 10 ziwe zingawi
                  class 11 luwe lungawi
                  class 14 buwe bungawi
                  class 15 kuwe kungawi
                  class 17 kuwe kungawi
                  past subjunctive
                  positive negative
                  1st singular ngawa ngangawa, angawa, angangawa
                  2nd singular wawa wangawa, awawa, awangawa
                  1st plural sawa sangawa, asawa, asangawa
                  2nd plural nawa nangawa, anawa, anangawa
                  class 1 wawa wangawa, akawa, akangawa
                  class 2 bawa bangawa, abawa, abangawa
                  class 3 wawa wangawa, awawa, awangawa
                  class 4 yawa yangawa, ayawa, ayangawa
                  class 5 lawa langawa, alawa, alangawa
                  class 6 awa angawa, awawa, awangawa
                  class 7 sawa sangawa, asawa, asangawa
                  class 8 zawa zangawa, azawa, azangawa
                  class 9 yawa yangawa, ayawa, ayangawa
                  class 10 zawa zangawa, azawa, azangawa
                  class 11 lwawa lwangawa, alwawa, alwangawa
                  class 14 bawa bangawa, abawa, abangawa
                  class 15 kwawa kwangawa, akwawa, akwangawa
                  class 17 kwawa kwangawa, akwawa, akwangawa

                  Derived terms

                  References

                  • The template Template:R:zu:ZED does not use the parameter(s):
                    imprtone=6.3
                    Please see Module:checkparams for help with this warning.
                    C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “wa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN:wa