What Is Wahala

Wahala means ‘Trouble’, and its meaning can change depending on context. When someone says ‘No wahala, they could mean ‘Yes’ or ‘No problem’. The flip side is ‘Wahala dey o’, meaning there is a problem. It is rare for this word to stand alone, except to express surprise at a disconcerting situation.

Is Wahala a Yoruba?

Nigerian Pidgin From Yoruba wàhálà, from Hausa wàhalā̀, from Arabic وَهْلَة‎ (wahla, “fright, terror”).

What language is the word Wahala from?

Wahala comes from the Arabic “wahla,” meaning “fright” or “terror.” But whereas the “h” in the Arabic version “is pronounced as a voiceless pharyngeal fricative / ħ /, common to many Middle Eastern languages, the Nigerian version has been distorted and modified many times on the way through the desert and is more …