naba

See also: Naba, Nàbà, naɓa, nʹaba, and ŋaba

Afar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /naˈba/ [nʌˈbʌ]
• Hyphenation: na‧ba

Verb

nabá

1. (stative) be big
2. (stative) be great
3. (stative) be many

Conjugation

Conjugation of naba (type III verb)
		1st singular	2nd singular	3rd singular		1st plural	2nd plural	3rd plural
				m	f
present indicative I	V-affirmative	nabiyóh	nabitóh	nabáh	nabáh	nabinóh	nabitoonúh	naboonúh
	N-affirmative	nabiyó	nabitó	nabá	nabá	nabinó	nabitón	nabón
	negative	mánabiyo	mánabito	mánaba	mánaba	mánabino	mánabiton	mánabon
present indicative II		affirmative present indicative I + imperfective of én
past indicative I		nábuk + perfective of én
past indicative II		nábuk + perfective of sugé
present potential	affirmative	nabiyóm takkéh	nabitóm takkéh	nabám takkéh	nabám takkéh	nabinóm takkéh	nabitoonúm takkéh	naboonúm takkéh
past conditional	affirmative	nábuk + past conditional of sugé
		-h converb	-k converb	-in(n)uh converb	infinitive
		nábih	nábuk	nabínnuh	nabíyya

Synonyms

• (be big): kaxxá
• (be great): kaxxá

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “be big”): qunxá

References

• E. M. Parker; R. J. Hayward (1985), “naba”, in An Afar-English-French dictionary (with Grammatical Notes in English), University of London, →ISBN

Basque

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /naba/ [na.β̞a]
• Rhymes: -aba, -a
• Hyphenation: na‧ba

Noun

naba inan

1. valley

Declension

Declension of naba (inan a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	naba	naba	nabak	nabok
ergative	nabak	nabak	nabek	nabok
dative	nabari	nabari	nabei	naboi
genitive	nabaren	nabaren	naben	nabon
comitative	nabarekin	nabarekin	nabekin	nabokin
causative	nabarengatik	nabarengatik	nabengatik	nabongatik
benefactive	nabarentzat	nabarentzat	nabentzat	nabontzat
instrumental	nabaz	nabaz	nabez	nabotaz
innesive	nabatan	naban	nabetan	nabotan
locative	nabatako	nabako	nabetako	nabotako
allative	nabatara	nabara	nabetara	nabotara
terminative	nabataraino	nabaraino	nabetaraino	nabotaraino
directive	nabatarantz	nabarantz	nabetarantz	nabotarantz
destinative	nabatarako	nabarako	nabetarako	nabotarako
ablative	nabatatik	nabatik	nabetatik	nabotatik
partitive	nabarik	—	—	—
prolative	nabatzat	—	—	—

Further reading

• “naba”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
• “naba”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Estonian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *napa, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃nebʰ- (“navel”) either through Germanic or Baltic.

Noun

naba (genitive naba, partitive naba)

1. navel

Declension

Declension of naba (ÕS type 17/elu, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		naba	nabad
accusative	nom.
	gen.	naba
genitive			nabade
partitive		naba	nabasid
illative		nappa nabasse	nabadesse
inessive		nabas	nabades
elative		nabast	nabadest
allative		nabale	nabadele
adessive		nabal	nabadel
ablative		nabalt	nabadelt
translative		nabaks	nabadeks
terminative		nabani	nabadeni
essive		nabana	nabadena
abessive		nabata	nabadeta
comitative		nabaga	nabadega

Keley-I Kallahan

Noun

naba

1. act of beating a gangha with the palms of the hand

References

• Hohulin, Richard M.; Hohulin, B. Lou; Maddawat, Alberto K. (2018), “naba”, in Keley-i Dictionary, Summer Institute of Linguistics

Lala (South Africa)

Etymology

Cognate with Zulu intaba, Swazi intsaba.

Noun

naba

1. mountain

Livonian

Noun

naba

1. Salaca form of nabā (“navel”)

References

• Andreas Johan Sjögren, Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann (1861), Livisch-deutsches und deutsch-livisches Wörterbuch
• Pajusalu, Karl & Winkler, Eberhard, Salis-livisches Wörterbuch (2009). Eesti Teaduste Akadeemia. Tallinn.

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *nabu.

Noun

naba f

1. nave
2. hub

Descendants

• German: Nabe

Phuthi

Verb

-naba

1. to stretch out straight

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈna.bɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈna.bɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈna.ba/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈna.bɐ/ [ˈna.βɐ]

• Hyphenation: na‧ba

Noun

naba f (plural nabas)

1. female equivalent of nabo

Further reading

• “naba”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Latin nāpa. See nabo (“turnip”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnaba/ [ˈna.β̞a]
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: na‧ba

Noun

naba f (plural nabas)

1. (botanical) rape, swede, rutabaga

Related terms

• nabo

Noun

naba f (plural nabas)

1. female equivalent of nabo (“a stupid person”)

Further reading

• “naba”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Veps

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *napa.

Noun

naba

1. navel, belly button
2. pole (of earth, a magnet, etc.)

Inflection

Inflection of naba (inflection type 5/sana)
nominative sing.	naba
genitive sing.	naban
partitive sing.	nabad
partitive plur.	naboid
	singular	plural
nominative	naba	nabad
accusative	naban	nabad
genitive	naban	naboiden
partitive	nabad	naboid
essive-instructive	naban	naboin
translative	nabaks	naboikš
inessive	nabas	naboiš
elative	nabaspäi	naboišpäi
illative	nabaha	naboihe
adessive	nabal	naboil
ablative	nabalpäi	naboilpäi
allative	nabale	naboile
abessive	nabata	naboita
comitative	nabanke	naboidenke
prolative	nabadme	naboidme
approximative I	nabanno	naboidenno
approximative II	nabannoks	naboidennoks
egressive	nabannopäi	naboidennopäi
terminative I	nabahasai	naboihesai
terminative II	nabalesai	naboilesai
terminative III	nabassai	—
additive I	nabahapäi	naboihepäi
additive II	nabalepäi	naboilepäi

References

• Zajceva, N. G.; Mullonen, M. I. (2007), “полюс, пуп”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎, Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Xhosa

Etymology

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

Verb

-naba^?

1. (transitive) to stretch out

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Zulu

Etymology

Clipping of enaba.

Verb

-naba

1. alternative form of enaba

Inflection

tone L (infinitive ukunaba)

	positive	negative
infinitive	ukunaba	ukunganabi
imperative
	simple	+ object concord
singular	naba	-nabe
plural	nabani	-nabeni
present
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyanaba, nginaba	enginabayo, enginaba	nginaba	anginabi	enginganabi	nginganabi
2nd singular	uyanaba, unaba	onabayo, onaba	unaba	awunabi	onganabi	unganabi
1st plural	siyanaba, sinaba	esinabayo, esinaba	sinaba	asinabi	esinganabi	singanabi
2nd plural	niyanaba, ninaba	eninabayo, eninaba	ninaba	aninabi	eninganabi	ninganabi
class 1	uyanaba, unaba	onabayo, onaba	enaba	akanabi	onganabi	enganabi
class 2	bayanaba, banaba	abanabayo, abanaba	benaba	abanabi	abanganabi	benganabi
class 3	uyanaba, unaba	onabayo, onaba	unaba	awunabi	onganabi	unganabi
class 4	iyanaba, inaba	enabayo, enaba	inaba	ayinabi	enganabi	inganabi
class 5	liyanaba, linaba	elinabayo, elinaba	linaba	alinabi	elinganabi	linganabi
class 6	ayanaba, anaba	anabayo, anaba	enaba	awanabi	anganabi	enganabi
class 7	siyanaba, sinaba	esinabayo, esinaba	sinaba	asinabi	esinganabi	singanabi
class 8	ziyanaba, zinaba	ezinabayo, ezinaba	zinaba	azinabi	ezinganabi	zinganabi
class 9	iyanaba, inaba	enabayo, enaba	inaba	ayinabi	enganabi	inganabi
class 10	ziyanaba, zinaba	ezinabayo, ezinaba	zinaba	azinabi	ezinganabi	zinganabi
class 11	luyanaba, lunaba	olunabayo, olunaba	lunaba	alunabi	olunganabi	lunganabi
class 14	buyanaba, bunaba	obunabayo, obunaba	bunaba	abunabi	obunganabi	bunganabi
class 15	kuyanaba, kunaba	okunabayo, okunaba	kunaba	akunabi	okunganabi	kunganabi
class 17	kuyanaba, kunaba	okunabayo, okunaba	kunaba	akunabi	okunganabi	kunganabi
recent past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	nginabile, nginabē	enginabile, enginabē	nginabile, nginabē	anginabanga	enginganabanga	nginganabanga
2nd singular	unabile, unabē	onabile, onabē	unabile, unabē	awunabanga	onganabanga	unganabanga
1st plural	sinabile, sinabē	esinabile, esinabē	sinabile, sinabē	asinabanga	esinganabanga	singanabanga
2nd plural	ninabile, ninabē	eninabile, eninabē	ninabile, ninabē	aninabanga	eninganabanga	ninganabanga
class 1	unabile, unabē	onabile, onabē	enabile, enabē	akanabanga	onganabanga	enganabanga
class 2	banabile, banabē	abanabile, abanabē	benabile, benabē	abanabanga	abanganabanga	benganabanga
class 3	unabile, unabē	onabile, onabē	unabile, unabē	awunabanga	onganabanga	unganabanga
class 4	inabile, inabē	enabile, enabē	inabile, inabē	ayinabanga	enganabanga	inganabanga
class 5	linabile, linabē	elinabile, elinabē	linabile, linabē	alinabanga	elinganabanga	linganabanga
class 6	anabile, anabē	anabile, anabē	enabile, enabē	awanabanga	anganabanga	enganabanga
class 7	sinabile, sinabē	esinabile, esinabē	sinabile, sinabē	asinabanga	esinganabanga	singanabanga
class 8	zinabile, zinabē	ezinabile, ezinabē	zinabile, zinabē	azinabanga	ezinganabanga	zinganabanga
class 9	inabile, inabē	enabile, enabē	inabile, inabē	ayinabanga	enganabanga	inganabanga
class 10	zinabile, zinabē	ezinabile, ezinabē	zinabile, zinabē	azinabanga	ezinganabanga	zinganabanga
class 11	lunabile, lunabē	olunabile, olunabē	lunabile, lunabē	alunabanga	olunganabanga	lunganabanga
class 14	bunabile, bunabē	obunabile, obunabē	bunabile, bunabē	abunabanga	obunganabanga	bunganabanga
class 15	kunabile, kunabē	okunabile, okunabē	kunabile, kunabē	akunabanga	okunganabanga	kunganabanga
class 17	kunabile, kunabē	okunabile, okunabē	kunabile, kunabē	akunabanga	okunganabanga	kunganabanga
remote past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngānaba	engānaba	ngānaba	anginabanga	enginganabanga	nginganabanga
2nd singular	wānaba	owānaba	wānaba	awunabanga	onganabanga	unganabanga
1st plural	sānaba	esānaba	sānaba	asinabanga	esinganabanga	singanabanga
2nd plural	nānaba	enānaba	nānaba	aninabanga	eninganabanga	ninganabanga
class 1	wānaba	owānaba	ānaba	akanabanga	onganabanga	enganabanga
class 2	bānaba	abānaba	bānaba	abanabanga	abanganabanga	benganabanga
class 3	wānaba	owānaba	wānaba	awunabanga	onganabanga	unganabanga
class 4	yānaba	eyānaba	yānaba	ayinabanga	enganabanga	inganabanga
class 5	lānaba	elānaba	lānaba	alinabanga	elinganabanga	linganabanga
class 6	ānaba	ānaba	ānaba	awanabanga	anganabanga	enganabanga
class 7	sānaba	esānaba	sānaba	asinabanga	esinganabanga	singanabanga
class 8	zānaba	ezānaba	zānaba	azinabanga	ezinganabanga	zinganabanga
class 9	yānaba	eyānaba	yānaba	ayinabanga	enganabanga	inganabanga
class 10	zānaba	ezānaba	zānaba	azinabanga	ezinganabanga	zinganabanga
class 11	lwānaba	olwānaba	lwānaba	alunabanga	olunganabanga	lunganabanga
class 14	bānaba	obānaba	bānaba	abunabanga	obunganabanga	bunganabanga
class 15	kwānaba	okwānaba	kwānaba	akunabanga	okunganabanga	kunganabanga
class 17	kwānaba	okwānaba	kwānaba	akunabanga	okunganabanga	kunganabanga
potential
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	nginganaba	—	nginganaba	ngingenabe	—	ngingenabe
2nd singular	unganaba	—	unganaba	ungenabe	—	ungenabe
1st plural	singanaba	—	singanaba	singenabe	—	singenabe
2nd plural	ninganaba	—	ninganaba	ningenabe	—	ningenabe
class 1	anganaba	—	enganaba	angenabe	—	engenabe
class 2	banganaba	—	benganaba	bangenabe	—	bengenabe
class 3	unganaba	—	unganaba	ungenabe	—	ungenabe
class 4	inganaba	—	inganaba	ingenabe	—	ingenabe
class 5	linganaba	—	linganaba	lingenabe	—	lingenabe
class 6	anganaba	—	enganaba	angenabe	—	engenabe
class 7	singanaba	—	singanaba	singenabe	—	singenabe
class 8	zinganaba	—	zinganaba	zingenabe	—	zingenabe
class 9	inganaba	—	inganaba	ingenabe	—	ingenabe
class 10	zinganaba	—	zinganaba	zingenabe	—	zingenabe
class 11	lunganaba	—	lunganaba	lungenabe	—	lungenabe
class 14	bunganaba	—	bunganaba	bungenabe	—	bungenabe
class 15	kunganaba	—	kunganaba	kungenabe	—	kungenabe
class 17	kunganaba	—	kunganaba	kungenabe	—	kungenabe
immediate future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngizonaba	engizonaba	ngizonaba	angizunaba	engingezunaba	ngingezunaba
2nd singular	uzonaba	ozonaba	uzonaba	awuzunaba	ongezunaba	ungezunaba
1st plural	sizonaba	esizonaba	sizonaba	asizunaba	esingezunaba	singezunaba
2nd plural	nizonaba	enizonaba	nizonaba	anizunaba	eningezunaba	ningezunaba
class 1	uzonaba	ozonaba	ezonaba	akazunaba	ongezunaba	engezunaba
class 2	bazonaba	abazonaba	bezonaba	abazunaba	abangezunaba	bengezunaba
class 3	uzonaba	ozonaba	uzonaba	awuzunaba	ongezunaba	ungezunaba
class 4	izonaba	ezonaba	izonaba	ayizunaba	engezunaba	ingezunaba
class 5	lizonaba	elizonaba	lizonaba	alizunaba	elingezunaba	lingezunaba
class 6	azonaba	azonaba	ezonaba	awazunaba	angezunaba	engezunaba
class 7	sizonaba	esizonaba	sizonaba	asizunaba	esingezunaba	singezunaba
class 8	zizonaba	ezizonaba	zizonaba	azizunaba	ezingezunaba	zingezunaba
class 9	izonaba	ezonaba	izonaba	ayizunaba	engezunaba	ingezunaba
class 10	zizonaba	ezizonaba	zizonaba	azizunaba	ezingezunaba	zingezunaba
class 11	luzonaba	oluzonaba	luzonaba	aluzunaba	olungezunaba	lungezunaba
class 14	buzonaba	obuzonaba	buzonaba	abuzunaba	obungezunaba	bungezunaba
class 15	kuzonaba	okuzonaba	kuzonaba	akuzunaba	okungezunaba	kungezunaba
class 17	kuzonaba	okuzonaba	kuzonaba	akuzunaba	okungezunaba	kungezunaba
remote future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyonaba	engiyonaba	ngiyonaba	angiyunaba	engingeyunaba	ngingeyunaba
2nd singular	uyonaba	oyonaba	uyonaba	awuyunaba	ongeyunaba	ungeyunaba
1st plural	siyonaba	esiyonaba	siyonaba	asiyunaba	esingeyunaba	singeyunaba
2nd plural	niyonaba	eniyonaba	niyonaba	aniyunaba	eningeyunaba	ningeyunaba
class 1	uyonaba	oyonaba	eyonaba	akayunaba	ongeyunaba	engeyunaba
class 2	bayonaba	abayonaba	beyonaba	abayunaba	abangeyunaba	bengeyunaba
class 3	uyonaba	oyonaba	uyonaba	awuyunaba	ongeyunaba	ungeyunaba
class 4	iyonaba	eyonaba	iyonaba	ayiyunaba	engeyunaba	ingeyunaba
class 5	liyonaba	eliyonaba	liyonaba	aliyunaba	elingeyunaba	lingeyunaba
class 6	ayonaba	ayonaba	eyonaba	awayunaba	angeyunaba	engeyunaba
class 7	siyonaba	esiyonaba	siyonaba	asiyunaba	esingeyunaba	singeyunaba
class 8	ziyonaba	eziyonaba	ziyonaba	aziyunaba	ezingeyunaba	zingeyunaba
class 9	iyonaba	eyonaba	iyonaba	ayiyunaba	engeyunaba	ingeyunaba
class 10	ziyonaba	eziyonaba	ziyonaba	aziyunaba	ezingeyunaba	zingeyunaba
class 11	luyonaba	oluyonaba	luyonaba	aluyunaba	olungeyunaba	lungeyunaba
class 14	buyonaba	obuyonaba	buyonaba	abuyunaba	obungeyunaba	bungeyunaba
class 15	kuyonaba	okuyonaba	kuyonaba	akuyunaba	okungeyunaba	kungeyunaba
class 17	kuyonaba	okuyonaba	kuyonaba	akuyunaba	okungeyunaba	kungeyunaba
present subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	nginabe	nginganabi
2nd singular	unabe	unganabi
1st plural	sinabe	singanabi
2nd plural	ninabe	ninganabi
class 1	anabe	anganabi
class 2	banabe	banganabi
class 3	unabe	unganabi
class 4	inabe	inganabi
class 5	linabe	linganabi
class 6	anabe	anganabi
class 7	sinabe	singanabi
class 8	zinabe	zinganabi
class 9	inabe	inganabi
class 10	zinabe	zinganabi
class 11	lunabe	lunganabi
class 14	bunabe	bunganabi
class 15	kunabe	kunganabi
class 17	kunabe	kunganabi
past subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	nganaba	nganganaba, anganaba, anganganaba
2nd singular	wanaba	wanganaba, awanaba, awanganaba
1st plural	sanaba	sanganaba, asanaba, asanganaba
2nd plural	nanaba	nanganaba, ananaba, ananganaba
class 1	wanaba	wanganaba, akanaba, akanganaba
class 2	banaba	banganaba, abanaba, abanganaba
class 3	wanaba	wanganaba, awanaba, awanganaba
class 4	yanaba	yanganaba, ayanaba, ayanganaba
class 5	lanaba	langanaba, alanaba, alanganaba
class 6	anaba	anganaba, awanaba, awanganaba
class 7	sanaba	sanganaba, asanaba, asanganaba
class 8	zanaba	zanganaba, azanaba, azanganaba
class 9	yanaba	yanganaba, ayanaba, ayanganaba
class 10	zanaba	zanganaba, azanaba, azanganaba
class 11	lwanaba	lwanganaba, alwanaba, alwanganaba
class 14	banaba	banganaba, abanaba, abanganaba
class 15	kwanaba	kwanganaba, akwanaba, akwanganaba
class 17	kwanaba	kwanganaba, akwanaba, akwanganaba

References

C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “6.3”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “6.3”