Etymology Explorer › Spanish

Where does “ojalá” come from?

ojalá (Spanish) comes from Old Spanish oxalá, from Arabic وَشَاءَ اللّٰه — and may God will it.

ojalá (Spanish): hopefully; if only; I hope so; let’s hope so

Definitions

  1. hopefully; if only; I hope so; let’s hope so

Ancestry of “ojalá”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Spanishoxalá—
2Arabicوَشَاءَ اللّٰهand may God will it
Every word from Arabic وَشَاءَ اللّٰه →