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 (AU)

  (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 (lyrics and music), “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!"

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
• Syllabification^(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 hellainrare
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 hellainirare 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 hellaisirare 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 hellaimmerare 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 hellainnerare 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 hellainsarare 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

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛtla/
• Rhymes: -ɛtla

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

f-w1	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hella	hellan	hellur	hellurnar
accusative	hellu	helluna	hellur	hellurnar
dative	hellu	hellunni	hellum	hellunum
genitive	hellu	hellunnar	hella/hellna	hellanna/hellnanna

Derived terms

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)

Verb

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

1. (transitive, governs the dative) to pour

   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. (transitive, governs the dative) to pour out

   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)	ég helli	við hellum	present (nútíð)	ég helli	við hellum
	þú hellir	þið hellið		þú hellir	þið hellið
	hann, hún, það hellir	þeir, þær, þau hella		hann, hún, það helli	þeir, þær, þau helli
past (þátíð)	ég hellti	við helltum	past (þátíð)	ég hellti	við helltum
	þú helltir	þið helltuð		þú helltir	þið helltuð
	hann, hún, það hellti	þeir, þær, þau helltu		hann, hún, það hellti	þeir, þær, þau helltu
imperative (boðháttur)	hell (þú)	hellið (þið)
	Forms with appended personal pronoun
	helltu	helliði *
* 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 ** ** the mediopassive present participle is extremely rare and normally not used; it is never used attributively or predicatively, only for explicatory subclauses
	indicative (framsöguháttur)			subjunctive (viðtengingarháttur)
present (nútíð)	ég hellist	við hellumst	present (nútíð)	ég hellist	við hellumst
	þú hellist	þið hellist		þú hellist	þið hellist
	hann, hún, það hellist	þeir, þær, þau hellast		hann, hún, það hellist	þeir, þær, þau hellist
past (þátíð)	ég helltist	við helltumst	past (þátíð)	ég helltist	við helltumst
	þú helltist	þið helltust		þú helltist	þið helltust
	hann, hún, það helltist	þeir, þær, þau helltust		hann, hún, það helltist	þeir, þær, þau helltust
imperative (boðháttur)	hellst (þú)	hellist (þið)
	Forms with appended personal pronoun
	hellstu	hellisti *
* 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

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 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	present	past
1st-person singular	helli	hellta
2nd-person singular	hellir	helltir
3rd-person singular	hellir	hellti
1st-person plural	hellum	helltum
2nd-person plural	hellið	helltuð
3rd-person plural	hella	helltu
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	hella	hellta
2nd-person singular	hellir	helltir
3rd-person singular	helli	hellti
1st-person plural	hellim	helltim
2nd-person plural	hellið	helltið
3rd-person plural	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	present	past
1st-person singular	hellumk	helltumk
2nd-person singular	hellisk	helltisk
3rd-person singular	hellisk	helltisk
1st-person plural	hellumsk	helltumsk
2nd-person plural	hellizk	helltuzk
3rd-person plural	hellask	helltusk
subjunctive	present	past
1st-person singular	hellumk	helltumk
2nd-person singular	hellisk	helltisk
3rd-person singular	hellisk	helltisk
1st-person plural	hellimsk	helltimsk
2nd-person plural	hellizk	helltizk
3rd-person plural	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

References

• “hella”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press