H1934 הָוָא hâvâʼ → Derivative
10 languagesDerivative of root הוה — canonical: H1933 הָוָא (5 family members).
Primary Aramaic verb of being and becoming, denoting the state of existing, coming into being, occurring, or becoming a certain way. In context, conveys the sense 'to be', 'to become', 'to occur', 'to come to pass', with a range that includes existential, copular, and eventive uses. Functions as an auxiliary verb in compound constructions, often carrying little semantic content by itself but modifying the main verb or phrase.
Etymology
From the Aramaic root הוה (equivalent to Hebrew היה), whose core meaning is to be, exist. The form הָוָא is the Imperfect (yiqtol) masculine singular, with the same basic existential/copular function as Hebrew היה. Aramaic הוה/הוא shares a Semitic root with Akkadian (awûm: to be, become), Ugaritic (hwy), and Arabic (كان, kâna: to be). The development in Aramaic includes both existence and becoming, as well as acting as a periphrastic auxiliary for tense/aspect.
| Language | Word | Meaning | Segmentation | Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bemba | ba | to be (copula, present tense for animate subjects) | ba | |
| Chichewa | bva | to come from, to originate, to depart | -bva | |
| Chichewa | ndi | to be (copula), present | ||
| Lala | ba | to be (copula, animate present) | ba | |
| Lamba | ba | to be (copula, animate present) | ba | |
| Sena | bva | to come from, to arise, to depart | -bva | |
| Shona | bva | to become, to turn into, to arise, to depart (also as copula 'to be') | bva | |
| Tonga (Zambia) | ba | to be (copula, present tense, animate subjects) | ba | |
| Tonga (Zambia) | bva | to come from, depart | -bva | |
| Tumbuka | bva | to come from, arise from | -bva |