bala

bala

1. to come

bala f (plural bales)

1. bullet

Other scripts

Cyrillic		бала
Abjad		بالا

From Proto-Turkic *bāla (“child”), which is etymologically related to baldız (“sister-in-law”).^[1] Cognate with Crimean Tatar bala, Uzbek bola, Turkish bala (dialectal), etc.

• IPA^(key): [bɑˈɫɑ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ba‧la

bala (definite accusative balanı, plural balalar)

1. child

   Synonym: uşaq

2. young of an animal

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

• balaca (“little”)
• bala-bula

• → Khalaj: bala
• → Talysh: balə

bala

1. balafon

bala

1. Romanization of ᬩᬮ

bala

1. xylophone
2. porcupine

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

Borrowed from French balle.

bala f (plural bales)

1. bale

   dues bales de paper ― two bales of paper

Borrowed from Italian palla.

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

• antibales
• a prova de bales
• joc de bales

• “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.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɓá.ɽa/

bála class 5 (plural mabála class 6)

1. wound, injury
2. defect, physical problem

Borrowed from English bar.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbá.ɽa/

bála class 5 (plural mabála class 6)

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

From Proto-Bantu *-bíada.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɓa.ɽa/

-bala (infinitive kubála)

1. to bear, give forth

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

bala

1. child
2. foal

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

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

bala f (plural balas)

1. bullet

• antibalas

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

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

bala

1. to blow

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

bala

1. group of people

From Malay bala, from Sanskrit बल (bala).

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

bala

1. force, army

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

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

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

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.)

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

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

1. 25th wuku of Pawukon calendar.

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

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

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.

• “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.

bala

1. Romanization of ꦧꦭ

From Proto-Turkic *bāla.

bala

1. child

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

bala

1. (anatomy) lung

• bal

Borrowed from German Ball.

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

bala f

1. ball

   Synonym: pùczk

• 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, Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

bala

1. (anatomy) lung

Perso-Arabic		بالا

Borrowed from Azerbaijani bala (“child”)

• (Kharrab) IPA^(key): [bala]

bala (definite accusative balañ, plural balalar)

1. child

   Synonyms: bəççə, kâl, kôka

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

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

bālā

1. second-person singular present active imperative of bālō

• 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

bala

1. hot coals

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

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”, 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.

• 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, 2007–2012
• “bala”, in Lietuvių kalbos žodynas, lkz.lt, 1941–2024

From French balle.

bala

1. bullet
2. cartridge

bala

1. (dialectal) poles used to carry a burden

balà

1. imperative form of balana

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

From Sanskrit बल (bala).

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

1. soldiery; army, force

• Indonesian: bala

From Arabic بَلَاء (balāʔ, “misfortune”).

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

• Indonesian: bala

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

Borrowed from Spanish bala.

bala

1. bullet

bala

1. Alternative form of bale (“bale”)

bala

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

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈpala/

bala

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

• bale (verb, e-infinitive)

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

bala n

1. definite plural of bal

• “bala” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

• alba

• Audio:

  (file)

bala f (plural balas)

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

Other scripts
Kawi
Javanese	ꦧꦭ
Balinese
Roman	bala

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

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

bala

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

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

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

Inherited from Sanskrit बल (bala).

bala n

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

• (army): balakāya

• balin (“strong”)

• → 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”)

bala

1. ball

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

-bala

1. to count

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

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

Borrowed from French balle,^[1][2] 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”).

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

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.

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

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

• IPA^(key): [ˈbala]

bala f

1. definite nominative/accusative singular of bală

Cognate with Azerbaijani bala.

• IPA^(key): [pɑlɑ]

bala (3rd person possessive balası, plural balalar)

1. child

• 林莲云 (1985) “bala”, in 撒拉语简志‎^[6], Beijing: 民族出版社: 琴書店, →OCLC, page 16
• Tenishev, Edhem (1976) “bala”, in Stroj salárskovo jazyká, Moscow, page 300
• 马伟, 朝克 (2014) “bala”, in 撒拉语366条会话读本‎^[7], 1^st edition, 社会科学文献出版社, →ISBN, page 16

bala

1. to greet

From Italian ballo, from Old High German balo.

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

bȁla f (Cyrillic spelling ба̏ла)

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

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

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

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

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

bala

1. to read

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

-bala

1. to count

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbala/ [ˈba.la]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: ba‧la

Borrowed from French balle.

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.

bala

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

• “bala”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28

bala

1. Romanization of 𒁄 (bala)

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

-bala

1. to count

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

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

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

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

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

Borrowed from Spanish bala (“bullet”).

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

bala (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜎ)

1. bullet; slug

   Synonym: punglo

2. pellet

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

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

bala (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜎ)

1. Obsolete form of balang.

• balana

• bawa

• “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”

• alba, Alba, laab, abla, laba, alab

bala

1. young animal,nestling
2. child

From N- +‎ pala (“to rise”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.la/

bala

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

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

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

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.la/

bala

1. people

• IPA^(key): /ba.ˈlaː/

bala

1. Alternative form of bahala (“disaster”)

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

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

bala

1. to count

From Proto-Turkic *bāla (“child”).

• Hyphenation: ba‧la

bala (definite accusative balayı, plural balalar)

1. (obsolete, otherwise dialectal) child, baby

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

• çocuk (child)
• bebek (baby)

• çağa

• “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

Other scripts
Perso-Arabic	بالا
Latin	‍bala‍
Cyrillic	бала

bala

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

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

bala m (plural balaon)

1. effluent, sluice

• Y Bala

• 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

• IPA^(key): /ˈbala/

bala

1. before

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

-bala

1. to count

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

• -balisa

From Proto-Bantu *-bàda.

-bala

1. to count
2. to calculate

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

• -balisa

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