hella

See also: Hella, hellä, Hellä, hélla, and hella-

English

Etymology 1

Related to "a hell of a". Originally Northern California slang. Compare helluv, helluva.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛl.ə/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlə

Determiner

hella

1. (slang, chiefly Northern California) Intensifier, signifies an abundance of a thing; much or many.

   There are hella people here.

   • 2016, Life Is Strange, spoken by Chloe Price (Ashly Burch), Square Enix, via Dontnod Entertainment:

     Now, let’s talk bidness.
     I got nothing for you.
     Wrong. You got hella cash.

   • 2023 August 20, Kelefa Sanneh, quoting Fatimah Nyeema Warner, “Noname’s Ambivalent, Triumphant Comeback”, in The New Yorker‎^[1], →ISSN:

     (“We practiced it hella times, but it’s new, and I can’t really get it on top of the music yet,” she explained.)

Synonyms

• (intensifier; much or many): bare, mad

Pronoun

hella

1. (slang, chiefly Northern California) A lot; very much.

   We paid hella for that Chinese cuisine.

Adverb

hella (not comparable)

1. (slang, chiefly Northern California) Intensifier, modifying verbs; to a large extent; totally; very much.

   I can't tell you how much I hella love the new track.

   Jane was driving away, and the door was open, so I hella ran for it.

   Oh, today's Cyrell's bday. We hella sang her happy birthday at the spot.

   • 2016, Life Is Strange, spoken by Chloe Price (Hannah Telle as Max Caulfield and Ashly Burch), Square Enix, via Dontnod Entertainment:

     You’re right. We hella deserve it. Splish splash!
     Did you actually just say "hella"? I think I’m a good bad influence on you.

2. (slang, potentially considered vulgar, chiefly regional US, African-American Vernacular and Internet slang) Intensifier, modifying adjectives; to a large degree; extremely; exceedingly.

   I guess she seems hella stoned in her commercial.

   I've been a Star Wars fan since I was hella young.

   • 2014, Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off”:

     "And to the fella over there / With the hella good hair / Won't you come on over, baby / We can shake, shake, shake"

   • 2016, Life Is Strange, spoken by Chloe Price (Ashly Burch), Square Enix, via Dontnod Entertainment:

     The storm got hella crazy and... and you said we would be safe at the lighthouse.

Synonyms

• (extremely, modifies adjectives): wicked (especially northeastern US)

Interjection

hella

1. (slang, chiefly Northern California) For sure; totally; hell yeah; used as a strong affirmation of something that was just said, accomplished, or revealed.

   "We definitely rocked that shit man!"
   "Hella!"

Derived terms

• hellagood

Related terms

• hecka (euphemism)
• helluv
• helluva

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:hella.

Etymology 2

Shortened form, or elision, of phrases like "hell have", approximating casual speech in writing.

Contraction

hella

1. (nonstandard) Contraction of Hell have.

   Where the hella you been?

References

• Waksler, Rachelle (San Francisco State University), "A HELLA New Specifier". [2]

Anagrams

• Halle

Finnish

Etymology

Borrowed from Swedish häll.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhelːɑ/, [ˈhe̞lːɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -elːɑ
• Hyphenation^(key): hel‧la

Noun

hella

1. range, stove (for cooking, sometimes specifically a wood-powered stove)

   Synonym: liesi

2. (colloquial) oven

   Synonym: uuni

Declension

Inflection of hella (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		hella	hellat
genitive		hellan	hellojen
partitive		hellaa	helloja
illative		hellaan	helloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		hella	hellat
accusative	nom.	hella	hellat
	gen.	hellan
genitive		hellan	hellojen hellain rare
partitive		hellaa	helloja
inessive		hellassa	helloissa
elative		hellasta	helloista
illative		hellaan	helloihin
adessive		hellalla	helloilla
ablative		hellalta	helloilta
allative		hellalle	helloille
essive		hellana	helloina
translative		hellaksi	helloiksi
abessive		hellatta	helloitta
instructive		—	helloin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of hella (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative hellani hellani accusative nom. hellani hellani gen. hellani genitive hellani hellojeni hellaini rare partitive hellaani hellojani inessive hellassani helloissani elative hellastani helloistani illative hellaani helloihini adessive hellallani helloillani ablative hellaltani helloiltani allative hellalleni helloilleni essive hellanani helloinani translative hellakseni helloikseni abessive hellattani helloittani instructive — — comitative — helloineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative hellasi hellasi accusative nom. hellasi hellasi gen. hellasi genitive hellasi hellojesi hellaisi rare partitive hellaasi hellojasi inessive hellassasi helloissasi elative hellastasi helloistasi illative hellaasi helloihisi adessive hellallasi helloillasi ablative hellaltasi helloiltasi allative hellallesi helloillesi essive hellanasi helloinasi translative hellaksesi helloiksesi abessive hellattasi helloittasi instructive — — comitative — helloinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative hellamme hellamme accusative nom. hellamme hellamme gen. hellamme genitive hellamme hellojemme hellaimme rare partitive hellaamme hellojamme inessive hellassamme helloissamme elative hellastamme helloistamme illative hellaamme helloihimme adessive hellallamme helloillamme ablative hellaltamme helloiltamme allative hellallemme helloillemme essive hellanamme helloinamme translative hellaksemme helloiksemme abessive hellattamme helloittamme instructive — — comitative — helloinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative hellanne hellanne accusative nom. hellanne hellanne gen. hellanne genitive hellanne hellojenne hellainne rare partitive hellaanne hellojanne inessive hellassanne helloissanne elative hellastanne helloistanne illative hellaanne helloihinne adessive hellallanne helloillanne ablative hellaltanne helloiltanne allative hellallenne helloillenne essive hellananne helloinanne translative hellaksenne helloiksenne abessive hellattanne helloittanne instructive — — comitative — helloinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative hellansa hellansa accusative nom. hellansa hellansa gen. hellansa genitive hellansa hellojensa hellainsa rare partitive hellaansa hellojaan hellojansa inessive hellassaan hellassansa helloissaan helloissansa elative hellastaan hellastansa helloistaan helloistansa illative hellaansa helloihinsa adessive hellallaan hellallansa helloillaan helloillansa ablative hellaltaan hellaltansa helloiltaan helloiltansa allative hellalleen hellallensa helloilleen helloillensa essive hellanaan hellanansa helloinaan helloinansa translative hellakseen hellaksensa helloikseen helloiksensa abessive hellattaan hellattansa helloittaan helloittansa instructive — — comitative — helloineen helloinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• hellahuone
• hellakoukku
• hellanrengas
• hellanrinki
• hellapoliisi
• hellapuu
• kaasuhella
• puuhella
• sähköhella

Further reading

• “hella”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛtla/
• Rhymes: -ɛtla

Etymology 1

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

Noun

Concrete paver blocks in a circular pattern.

hella f (genitive singular hellu, nominative plural hellur)

1. paving stone, slab, paver

   Að leggja hellur.

   To pave.

Declension

Declension of hella (feminine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hella	hellan	hellur	hellurnar
accusative	hellu	helluna	hellur	hellurnar
dative	hellu	hellunni	hellum	hellunum
genitive	hellu	hellunnar	hellna, hella	hellnanna, hellanna

Derived terms

• eldunarhella (“a hob”)
• fá hellu fyrir eyrun (“to get one's ears stopped up”)
• fyrri neðan allar hellur
• hella niður
• hellanleiki (“pourability”)
• helluhraun (“pahoehoe lava”)
• helluleggja
• rafmagnssteikingarhella (“electric griddle grill”)
• steypt hella (“cast stone, concrete paving unit”)
• suðuhella (“boiling ring”)

Etymology 2

Verb

hella (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative hellti, supine hellt)

1. to pour [with dative]

   Stundum vil ég bara hella kaffi í stóra víða skál og lepja það eins og lítill kettlingur.

   Sometimes I just want to pour coffee in a big wide bowl and lap it up like a little kitten.

2. to pour out [with dative]

   Ég hellti öllu gosinu þínu.

   I poured out all your soda.

Conjugation

hella – active voice (germynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að hella
supine sagnbót		hellt
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		hellandi
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	helli	hellti		helli	hellti
	þú	hellir	helltir		hellir	helltir
	hann, hún, það	hellir	hellti		helli	hellti
plural	við	hellum	helltum		hellum	helltum
	þið	hellið	helltuð		hellið	helltuð
	þeir, þær, þau	hella	helltu		helli	helltu
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	hell (þú), helltu
plural	þið	hellið (þið), helliði1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

hellast – mediopassive voice (miðmynd)

infinitive nafnháttur		að hellast
supine sagnbót		hellst
present participle lýsingarháttur nútíðar		hellandist (rare; see appendix)
		indicative framsöguháttur			subjunctive viðtengingarháttur
		present nútíð	past þátíð		present nútíð	past þátíð
singular	ég	hellist	helltist		hellist	helltist
	þú	hellist	helltist		hellist	helltist
	hann, hún, það	hellist	helltist		hellist	helltist
plural	við	hellumst	helltumst		hellumst	helltumst
	þið	hellist	helltust		hellist	helltust
	þeir, þær, þau	hellast	helltust		hellist	helltust
		imperative boðháttur
singular	þú	hellst (þú), hellstu
plural	þið	hellist (þið), hellisti1

¹ Spoken form, usually not written; in writing, the unappended plural form (optionally followed by the full pronoun) is preferred.

helltur — past participle (lýsingarháttur þátíðar)

strong declension (sterk beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	helltur	hellt	hellt	helltir	helltar	hellt
accusative (þolfall)	helltan	hellta	hellt	hellta	helltar	hellt
dative (þágufall)	helltum	helltri	helltu	helltum	helltum	helltum
genitive (eignarfall)	hellts	helltrar	hellts	helltra	helltra	helltra
weak declension (veik beyging)	singular (eintala)			plural (fleirtala)
	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)	masculine (karlkyn)	feminine (kvenkyn)	neuter (hvorugkyn)
nominative (nefnifall)	hellti	hellta	hellta	helltu	helltu	helltu
accusative (þolfall)	hellta	helltu	hellta	helltu	helltu	helltu
dative (þágufall)	hellta	helltu	hellta	helltu	helltu	helltu
genitive (eignarfall)	hellta	helltu	hellta	helltu	helltu	helltu

Derived terms

• hella í
• hella niður
• hella sér yfir
• hella upp á, hella upp á könnuna

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• hellen

Noun

hella m or f

1. definite feminine singular of helle

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

hella f

1. definite singular of helle

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hallju, from Proto-Germanic *haljō.

Noun

hella f

1. hell
2. underworld

Inflection

Declension of hella (feminine ō/ōn-stem noun)

case	singular	plural
nominative	hella	hella, hellon
accusative	hella, hellon	hella, hellon
genitive	hellon	hellono
dative	hellon	hellon

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: helle
  • Dutch: hel
    • Afrikaans: hel
  • Limburgish: hel

References

• “hella”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old Norse

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *hallijǭ. Related to hallr.

Noun

hella f (genitive hellu)

1. flat stone, slab of rock

Declension

Declension of hella (weak ōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hella	hellan	hellur	hellurnar
accusative	hellu	helluna	hellur	hellurnar
dative	hellu	hellunni	hellum	hellunum
genitive	hellu	hellunnar	hellna	hellnanna

Derived terms

• hellnagrjót n
• hellusteinn m

Related terms

• hallr m (“rock”)
• hellir m (“cavern”)

Descendants

• Icelandic: hella
• Norwegian Nynorsk: helle
• Norwegian Bokmål: helle

Etymology 2

From the adjective hallr (“sloping”).

Verb

hella

1. to pour out

Conjugation

Conjugation of hella — active (weak class 1)

infinitive	hella
present participle	hellandi
past participle	helltr
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	helli	hellta		hella	hellta
2nd person singular	hellir	helltir		hellir	helltir
3rd person singular	hellir	hellti		helli	hellti
1st person plural	hellum	helltum		hellim	helltim
2nd person plural	hellið	helltuð		hellið	helltið
3rd person plural	hella	helltu		helli	hellti
imperative	present
2nd person singular	hell, helli
1st person plural	hellum
2nd person plural	hellið

Conjugation of hella — mediopassive (weak class 1)

infinitive	hellask
present participle	hellandisk
past participle	hellzk
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	hellumk	helltumk		hellumk	helltumk
2nd person singular	hellisk	helltisk		hellisk	helltisk
3rd person singular	hellisk	helltisk		hellisk	helltisk
1st person plural	hellumsk	helltumsk		hellimsk	helltimsk
2nd person plural	hellizk	helltuzk		hellizk	helltizk
3rd person plural	hellask	helltusk		hellisk	helltisk
imperative	present
2nd person singular	hellsk, hellisk
1st person plural	hellumsk
2nd person plural	hellizk

Descendants

• Icelandic: hella
• Norwegian Nynorsk: hella
• Swedish: hälla
• Danish: hælde
  • Norwegian Bokmål: helle

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

hella

1. accusative plural and genitive plural of hellir

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “hella”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive