Where does “oxalá” come from?
oxalá (Portuguese) comes from Spanish ojalá, from Old Spanish oxalá, from Arabic وَشَاءَ اللّٰه — and may God will it.
oxalá (Portuguese): hopefully; I hope so; let’s hope so; God willing
Definitions
- hopefully; I hope so; let’s hope so; God willing
Ancestry of “oxalá”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Spanish | ojalá | hopefully; if only; I hope so; let’s hope so |
| 2 | Old Spanish | oxalá | — |
| 3 | Arabic | وَشَاءَ اللّٰه | and may God will it |