sila

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sila"

Languages (24)

Balinese • Bangi • Cebuano • Chavacano • Czech • Fijian • Finnish • French • Greenlandic • Hausa • Hiligaynon • Indonesian • Inuktitut • Inupiaq • Lala (South Africa) • Latvian • Lingala • Northern Catanduanes Bikol • Old Javanese • Serbo-Croatian • Slovene • Sumerian • Tagalog • Xhosa

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Page categories

Balinese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /silə/
• Hyphenation: si‧la

Etymology 1

From Malay sila or Old Javanese śīla, from Sanskrit शील (śīla, “conduct, morality”).

Noun

sila (Balinese script ᬲᬶᬮ)

1. cross-legged seating position

Etymology 2

From Old Javanese śīla, from Sanskrit शील (śīla, “conduct, morality”). Cognate of Indonesian sila (“rule, conduct, custom”).

Noun

sila (Balinese script ᬰᬶᬮ)

1. conduct

Etymology 3

From Old Javanese śilā (“stone”), from Sanskrit शिला (śilā, “stone”).

Noun

sila (Balinese script ᬰᬶᬮᬵ)

1. stone

Further reading

• “sila”, in Balinese–Indonesian Dictionary [Kamus Bahasa Bali–Indonesia] (in Balinese), Denpasar, Indonesia: The Linguistic Center of Bali Province [Balai Bahasa Provinsi Bali].

Bangi

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *-cíd.

Verb

sila

1. to end, finish

Cebuano

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *si ida.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsila/ [ˈsiː.la]
• Hyphenation: si‧la

Pronoun

sila (Badlit spelling ᜐᜒᜎ)

1. they
2. them

Anagrams

• alis, lisa

Chavacano

Etymology

Borrowed from Hiligaynon sila, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *si ida.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /siˈla/ [si.ˈla]
• Hyphenation: si‧la

Pronoun

silá

1. they

See also

Chavacano personal pronouns

	person	subject	object	possessive
singular	first	yo	conmigo	de mio mio
	second	tu usted vos	contigo con usted con vos	de tuyo de usted de vos tuyo
	third	ele	con ele	de suyo suyo
plural	first	nosotros nisos mihotro motro	con nosotros	de nosotros
	first inclusive	kita	kanaton konaton	de aton
	first exclusive	kame	kanamon konamon	de amon
	second	kamo ustedes vosotros	kaninyo con ustedes	de inyo de ustedes de vosotros
	third	sila ellos esos	kanila con ellos	de ila

Czech

Alternative forms

• sela (part)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈsɪla]

Etymology 1

Noun

sila

1. inflection of silo:
   1. genitive singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative plural

Etymology 2

Participle

sila

1. inflection of sít:
   1. feminine singular past active participle
   2. neuter plural past active participle

Fijian

Etymology

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

Noun

sila

1. (historical) Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi)

   Era tubia na sila me icula.

   They string Job's tears as necklaces.

2. (modern) maize, corn (Zea mays)

   Era volitaka na sila droka ena makete.

   They sell boiled corn at the market.

Usage notes

The meaning shifted from the natively introduced Job's tears to maize/corn after its European introduction.

Derived terms

• voci vaka-silā (“to understand step by step”, literally “to peel like corn”) (idiom)

References

• Gatty, Ronald (2009), “sila”, in Fijian–English Dictionary‎^[1], Suva, Fiji: Ronald Gatty, →ISBN, page 229

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsilɑ/, [ˈs̠ilɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ilɑ
• Syllabification^(key): si‧la
• Hyphenation^(key): si‧la

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old Swedish sili.

Noun

sila

1. (sometimes in the plural) harness saddle (part of a horse harness; a band passing over the horse's back, often with pads, that support the weight of a vehicle, possibly including the fittings used to attach it to a shaft, etc.)

   Synonyms: selustin, setolkka, tekkeli

   Hypernym: valjaat

   1. (strictly) the harness saddle including the fittings used to attach it to a shaft, etc.
2. (in the plural) synonym of silavaljaat (“a collar-and-hames harness”)

Declension

Inflection of sila (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		sila	silat
genitive		silan	silojen
partitive		silaa	siloja
illative		silaan	siloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		sila	silat
accusative	nom.	sila	silat
	gen.	silan
genitive		silan	silojen silain rare
partitive		silaa	siloja
inessive		silassa	siloissa
elative		silasta	siloista
illative		silaan	siloihin
adessive		silalla	siloilla
ablative		silalta	siloilta
allative		silalle	siloille
essive		silana	siloina
translative		silaksi	siloiksi
abessive		silatta	siloitta
instructive		—	siloin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of sila (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative silani silani accusative nom. silani silani gen. silani genitive silani silojeni silaini rare partitive silaani silojani inessive silassani siloissani elative silastani siloistani illative silaani siloihini adessive silallani siloillani ablative silaltani siloiltani allative silalleni siloilleni essive silanani siloinani translative silakseni siloikseni abessive silattani siloittani instructive — — comitative — siloineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative silasi silasi accusative nom. silasi silasi gen. silasi genitive silasi silojesi silaisi rare partitive silaasi silojasi inessive silassasi siloissasi elative silastasi siloistasi illative silaasi siloihisi adessive silallasi siloillasi ablative silaltasi siloiltasi allative silallesi siloillesi essive silanasi siloinasi translative silaksesi siloiksesi abessive silattasi siloittasi instructive — — comitative — siloinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative silamme silamme accusative nom. silamme silamme gen. silamme genitive silamme silojemme silaimme rare partitive silaamme silojamme inessive silassamme siloissamme elative silastamme siloistamme illative silaamme siloihimme adessive silallamme siloillamme ablative silaltamme siloiltamme allative silallemme siloillemme essive silanamme siloinamme translative silaksemme siloiksemme abessive silattamme siloittamme instructive — — comitative — siloinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative silanne silanne accusative nom. silanne silanne gen. silanne genitive silanne silojenne silainne rare partitive silaanne silojanne inessive silassanne siloissanne elative silastanne siloistanne illative silaanne siloihinne adessive silallanne siloillanne ablative silaltanne siloiltanne allative silallenne siloillenne essive silananne siloinanne translative silaksenne siloiksenne abessive silattanne siloittanne instructive — — comitative — siloinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative silansa silansa accusative nom. silansa silansa gen. silansa genitive silansa silojensa silainsa rare partitive silaansa silojaan silojansa inessive silassaan silassansa siloissaan siloissansa elative silastaan silastansa siloistaan siloistansa illative silaansa siloihinsa adessive silallaan silallansa siloillaan siloillansa ablative silaltaan silaltansa siloiltaan siloiltansa allative silalleen silallensa siloilleen siloillensa essive silanaan silanansa siloinaan siloinansa translative silakseen silaksensa siloikseen siloiksensa abessive silattaan silattansa siloittaan siloittansa instructive — — comitative — siloineen siloinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• silankaari
• silarengas
• silavaljaat

Further reading

• “silat”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 12 December 2025

Etymology 2

Back-formation from silata.

Noun

sila

1. synonym of lyöte (“fitting, spangle”)

Declension

Inflection of sila (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		sila	silat
genitive		silan	silojen
partitive		silaa	siloja
illative		silaan	siloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		sila	silat
accusative	nom.	sila	silat
	gen.	silan
genitive		silan	silojen silain rare
partitive		silaa	siloja
inessive		silassa	siloissa
elative		silasta	siloista
illative		silaan	siloihin
adessive		silalla	siloilla
ablative		silalta	siloilta
allative		silalle	siloille
essive		silana	siloina
translative		silaksi	siloiksi
abessive		silatta	siloitta
instructive		—	siloin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of sila (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative silani silani accusative nom. silani silani gen. silani genitive silani silojeni silaini rare partitive silaani silojani inessive silassani siloissani elative silastani siloistani illative silaani siloihini adessive silallani siloillani ablative silaltani siloiltani allative silalleni siloilleni essive silanani siloinani translative silakseni siloikseni abessive silattani siloittani instructive — — comitative — siloineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative silasi silasi accusative nom. silasi silasi gen. silasi genitive silasi silojesi silaisi rare partitive silaasi silojasi inessive silassasi siloissasi elative silastasi siloistasi illative silaasi siloihisi adessive silallasi siloillasi ablative silaltasi siloiltasi allative silallesi siloillesi essive silanasi siloinasi translative silaksesi siloiksesi abessive silattasi siloittasi instructive — — comitative — siloinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative silamme silamme accusative nom. silamme silamme gen. silamme genitive silamme silojemme silaimme rare partitive silaamme silojamme inessive silassamme siloissamme elative silastamme siloistamme illative silaamme siloihimme adessive silallamme siloillamme ablative silaltamme siloiltamme allative silallemme siloillemme essive silanamme siloinamme translative silaksemme siloiksemme abessive silattamme siloittamme instructive — — comitative — siloinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative silanne silanne accusative nom. silanne silanne gen. silanne genitive silanne silojenne silainne rare partitive silaanne silojanne inessive silassanne siloissanne elative silastanne siloistanne illative silaanne siloihinne adessive silallanne siloillanne ablative silaltanne siloiltanne allative silallenne siloillenne essive silananne siloinanne translative silaksenne siloiksenne abessive silattanne siloittanne instructive — — comitative — siloinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative silansa silansa accusative nom. silansa silansa gen. silansa genitive silansa silojensa silainsa rare partitive silaansa silojaan silojansa inessive silassaan silassansa siloissaan siloissansa elative silastaan silastansa siloistaan siloistansa illative silaansa siloihinsa adessive silallaan silallansa siloillaan siloillansa ablative silaltaan silaltansa siloiltaan siloiltansa allative silalleen silallensa siloilleen siloillensa essive silanaan silanansa siloinaan siloinansa translative silakseen silaksensa siloikseen siloiksensa abessive silattaan silattansa siloittaan siloittansa instructive — — comitative — siloineen siloinensa

Anagrams

• -lias, lasi, sali

French

Verb

sila

1. third-person singular past historic of siler

Anagrams

• ails, lias, Lisa, sali

Greenlandic

Etymology

From Proto-Inuit *cila (“universe, atmosphere, weather, outside world”), from Proto-Eskimo *cəla (“universe, atmosphere, weather”). Compare silaannaq (“atmosphere, air”).

Pronunciation

• (Nuuk) IPA^(key): /sila/, [sɪ.la]

Noun

sila

1. weather
2. world
3. consciousness, intellect

Declension

Declension of sila

case	singular	plural
absolutive	sila	silat
ergative	silap
allative	silamut	silanut
ablative	silamit	silanit
prolative	silakkut	silatigut
locative	silami	silani
instrumental	silamik	silanik
equative	silatut

Hausa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sí.làː/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [sɪ́.làː]

Noun

silā̀ f (possessed form silàr̃)

1. cause

Hiligaynon

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *si ida.

Pronoun

sila

1. they, them

Descendants

• → Chavacano: sila

See also

Hiligaynon personal pronouns

		absolute (ang/si)		ergative (sa/ni)		ergative (preposed)	oblique (sa)
		full	short	full	short	full
first	singular	ako	ko*	nakon	ko	akon	sa akon
	plural inclusive	kita		naton	ta	aton	sa aton
	plural exclusive	kami		namon		amon	sa amon
second	singular	ikaw	ka	nimo	mo	imo	sa imo
	plural	kamo		ninyo		inyo	sa inyo
third	singular	siya		niya		iya	sa iya
	plural	sila		nila		ila	sa ila

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay sila, from Classical Malay sila, from Sanskrit शील (śīla, “conduct, beauty, form, virtue”). Doublet of selak.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈsila/ [ˈsi.la]
• Rhymes: -ila
• Syllabification: si‧la

Noun

sila (plural sila-sila)

1. moral principle

   Synonyms: dasar, adab, akhlak, moral

Related terms

• susila

Verb

sila

1. to sit cross-legged

   Synonyms: bersila, duduk sila

Alternative forms

• sela

Derived terms

• bersila
• menyilakan

Interjection

sila

1. (uncommon) please, used as an affirmative to an offer or a request

   Synonym: (more common) silakan

Alternative forms

• silah

Derived terms

• mempersilakan
• menyilakan
• silakan
• tersila

Further reading

• “sila”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Inuktitut

Noun

sila

1. Latin spelling of ᓯᓚ (sila)

Inupiaq

Alternative forms

siḷa

Noun

sila

1. air, atmosphere, weather

   Silagiktuq.

   The weather is nice.

Lala (South Africa)

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *mʊ̀kɪ́dà.

Noun

sîla

1. tail

Latvian

Noun

sila m

1. genitive singular of sils

Lingala

Etymology

Borrowed from Bangi sila.

Verb

-sila (infinitive kosila)

1. to end, finish

Northern Catanduanes Bikol

Noun

silâ

1. fish

Old Javanese

Etymology

Borrowed from Sanskrit शील (śīla, “conduct, morality”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si.la/
• Rhymes: -ila
• Homophones: sila, śila, śilā, śīla
• Hyphenation: si‧la

Verb

sila

1. to sit cross-legged

Derived terms

• asila
• masila
• pasila
• pasilan
• sinilan

• anĕmpal sila
• aṅgiwaṅ sila

Descendants

• Javanese: sila (“(to sit) cross-legged”)
• → Balinese: sila (“(to sit) cross-legged”)

Further reading

• "sila" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *sila, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *séiˀlāˀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sîla/
• Hyphenation: si‧la

Noun

sȉla f (Cyrillic spelling си̏ла)

1. force

   Neka Sila bude s tobom. ― May the Force be with you. (Star Wars)

2. strength
3. power
4. violence

Declension

Declension of sila

	singular	plural
nominative	sȉla	sile
genitive	sile	sȋlā
dative	sili	silama
accusative	silu	sile
vocative	silo	sile
locative	sili	silama
instrumental	silom	silama

Derived terms

• sȋlan
• silòvit

Related terms

• snaga

References

• “sila”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

Slovene

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *sila, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *séiˀlāˀ. First attested in the 16th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sìːla/

Noun

síla f

1. force (anything that is able to make a big changes in person or thing)

Declension

The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.

Feminine, a-stem
nom. sing.	síla
gen. sing.	síle
	singular	dual	plural
nominative (imenovȃlnik)	síla	síli	síle
genitive (rodȋlnik)	síle	síl	síl
dative (dajȃlnik)	síli	sílama	sílam
accusative (tožȋlnik)	sílo	síli	síle
locative (mẹ̑stnik)	síli	sílah	sílah
instrumental (orọ̑dnik)	sílo	sílama	sílami

Further reading

• “sila”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran
• “sila”, in Termania, Amebis
• See also the general references

Sumerian

Romanization

sila

1. romanization of 𒋻 (sila)

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *si

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *si

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ida

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *si ida

Tagalog sila

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *si ida. Compare Central Bikol sinda, Cebuano sila, Kapampangan ila, Chamorro siha, Hiligaynon sila, Inonhan sanda, Malay sida, Maranao siran, Ratagnon sanda, Tetum sira, West Miraya Bikol sinra, Yami sira, and Yogad sira.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /siˈla/ [sɪˈla]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: si‧la

Pronoun

silá (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜒᜎ)

1. they
2. (polite) you (singular or plural)
3. (colloquial) used of two people to indicate that they are in a romantic relationship with each other; a couple

   Sila ba?

   Are they a couple?

   (literally, “Is there a "them"?”)

Usage notes

• The third-person plural sila is used instead of ikaw, ka, or kayo when respectfully addressing individuals with whom the speaker maintains social distance, such as strangers, distant family members, or people of higher status. The second person pulural/polite kayo, however, convey politeness and can be used with both familiar and unfamiliar individuals.

Derived terms

• sila-sila

See also

Tagalog personal pronouns

Person	Number	Direct (ang)	Indirect (ng)	Oblique (sa)
First	singular	ako	ko	akin
	dual1	kita, kata	nita, nata, ta	kanita, kanata, ata
	plural inclusive	tayo	natin	atin
	plural exclusive	kami	namin	amin
First & Second	singular	kita2
Second	singular	ikaw, ka	mo	iyo
	plural	kayo, kamo	ninyo, niyo	inyo
Third	singular	siya	niya	kaniya
	plural	sila	nila	kanila

¹ First person dual pronouns are not commonly used in Standard Tagalog.
² Replaces ko ikaw.

Article

silá (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜒᜎ)

1. (colloquial) plural direct marker placed before names or terms of address of people

   Synonym: sina

   Nandiyan na sila Pedro at Juan. ― Pedro and Juan is already there.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈsilaʔ/ [ˈsiː.lɐʔ]
• Rhymes: -ilaʔ
• Syllabification: si‧la

Noun

silà (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜒᜎ)

1. attack of a predatory animal on its animal prey

Derived terms

• manila
• maninila
• paninila
• silain
• sumila

Etymology 3

Etymology tree

Sanskrit शील (śīla)der.?

Malay silabor.

Tagalog sila

Borrowed from Malay sila (“sit cross-legged”), possibly from Sanskrit शील (śīla, “conduct, disposition, nature, tendency”). Compare Kapampangan sila (“seated with crossed legs”), Javanese ꦱꦶꦭ (sila, “cross-legged”), and Old Javanese sila (“sit politely (on the ground) in the "sila" position, i.e. with the legs crossed, tailor-fashion”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈsilaʔ/ [ˈsiː.lɐʔ]
• Rhymes: -ilaʔ
• Syllabification: si‧la

Noun

silà (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜒᜎ) (obsolete)

1. cross-legged sit

Derived terms

• ipanasila
• magsila
• managsila
• nakapanasila
• panagsila
• pananagsila
• panasila
• panasilaan

See also

• tansila

Further reading

• “sila”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) loan “cross-legged: sit cross-legged”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Anagrams

• sali, lisa, alis, isla

Xhosa

Verb

-síla

1. to brew
2. to grind

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.