هسا

South Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• هسع (hassaʕ)

Etymology

Contraction of هالساعة (ha-s-sāʕa, “this hour”). Compare Classical Syriac ܗܵܫܵܐ (hāšā, “now”).

Adverb

هسّا • (hassa)

1. now, just

   Synonyms: هلا (halla), الحين (alḥīn), إسا (ʔissa), هلقيت (halʔēt)

Usage notes

• There are many words used for "now" in South Levantine Arabic. هلا (halla, hallaʔ) is the most common word in urban dialects, also used in Lebanon and Syria. In formal contexts, the Standard Arabic الْآنَ (al-ʔān, il-ʔān) is used.

See also

• إسا (ʔissa)
• الحين (alḥīn)
• هلقيت (halʔēt, halkēt)