halva

See also: Hälvä

English

a Turkish halva bar

Alternative forms

• khalva, halava, halavah, halawa, halaweh, halvah, halwa, halwah, hulwa

Etymology

From Yiddish חלווה (khálva), from Romanian halva, from Ottoman Turkish حلوا (helva), from Persian حلوا (halvâ), from Arabic حَلْوَى (ḥalwā). Cognate with Halwai.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /hɑːlˈvɑː/, /ˈhɑːlvɑː/, /ˈxɑːlvə/

Noun

halva (countable and uncountable, plural halvas)

2. A confection usually made from crushed sesame seeds and honey. It is a traditional dessert in South Asia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
   • 2016 January 26, Eyal Press, “When ‘Made In Israel’ Is a Human Rights Abuse”, in The New York Times‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 April 2025:

     Just before Christmas, Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, sent the White House a box of holiday gifts with a pointed political message. Inside were items (body lotion, halvah, olive oil) produced in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Derived terms

• sohan halva

Related terms

• Halwai

Translations

confection

• Albanian: hallvë (sq) f
• Arabic: حَلَاوَة طَحِيِنِيَّة f (ḥalāwa ṭaḥiyiniyya), حَلْوَى شَامِيَّة f (ḥalwā šāmiyya)
• Armenian: հալվա (hy) (halva)
• Assamese: হালুৱা (halua)
• Azerbaijani: halva (az)
• Bashkir: хәлүә (xälwä)
• Belarusian: халва́ f (xalvá)
• Bengali: হালুয়া (bn) (haluẏa)
• Bulgarian: халва́ f (halvá)
• Burmese: ဟလဝါ (my) (ha.la.wa)
• Chechen: хьовл (ḥʳovl)
• Chinese:

  Dungan: халўва (halwva), халуван (haluvan)

  Mandarin: 哈爾瓦 / 哈尔瓦 (hā'ěrwǎ)

• Chuvash: халва (halva)
• Crimean Tatar: elva
• Czech: chalva (cs) f
• Dutch: halva m
• Estonian: halvaa
• Finnish: halva (fi)
• French: halva (fr) m
• Georgian: ჰალვა (ka) (halva)
• German: Halva m, Halwa n
• Greek: χαλβάς (el) m (chalvás)
• Hausa: àlāwā̀ f
• Hebrew: חַלְוָה (he) f (khalvá)
• Hindi: हलवा (hi) m (halvā), मोहनभीग m (mohanbhīg)
• Hungarian: halva (hu)
• Ido: halva
• Italian: halva m
• Japanese: ハルバ (haruba), ハルヴァ (haruva)
• Kazakh: халуа (xaluwa), қалуа (qaluwa), алуа (aluwa)
• Korean: 할바 (halba), 할와 (harwa)
• Kumyk: гьалива (haliwa)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: helaw (ku)

• Kyrgyz: халва (ky) (halva), алба (ky) (alba)
• Latvian: halva f
• Lithuanian: chalva f
• Macedonian: алва f (alva)
• Malay: halwa
• Malayalam: അലുവ (aluva)
• Maltese: ħelwa tat-Tork
• Marathi: हलवा (halvā)
• Pashto: حلوا (ps) f (halwã)
• Persian: حلوا (fa) (halvâ)
• Polish: chałwa (pl) f
• Portuguese: halvah f
• Punjabi: ਹਲਵਾ m (halvā)
• Romanian: halva (ro) f
• Russian: халва́ (ru) f (xalvá)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: халва f, алва f, тахан халва f

  Latin: halva (sh) f, alva (sh) f, tahan halva f

• Slovak: chalva f
• Slovene: halva f
• Southern Altai: халва (halva)
• Spanish: halva (es) m
• Swedish: halva (sv) c, helva c
• Tajik: ҳалво (halvo)
• Tamil: ஹல்வா (ta) (halvā), அல்வா (ta) (alvā)
• Tatar: хәлвә (tt) (xälwä)
• Turkish: helva (tr), tahin helvası (tr)

  Ottoman Turkish: حلوا (helva)

• Turkmen: halwa
• Ukrainian: халва́ (uk) f (xalvá)
• Urdu: حلوہ m (halvā)
• Uyghur: ھالۋا (ug) (halwa)
• Uzbek: holva (uz)
• Vietnamese: bánh hanva, bánh mật (vi)
• Yiddish: כאַלווע f (khalve)

Further reading

• halva on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Azerbaijani

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic حَلْوَى (ḥalwā).

Noun

halva (definite accusative halvanı, plural halvalar)

1. halva

Declension

Declension of halva

	singular	plural
nominative	halva	halvalar
definite accusative	halvanı	halvaları
dative	halvaya	halvalara
locative	halvada	halvalarda
ablative	halvadan	halvalardan
definite genitive	halvanın	halvaların

Possessive forms of halva

	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	halvam	halvalarım
sənin (“your”)	halvan	halvaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	halvası	halvaları
bizim (“our”)	halvamız	halvalarımız
sizin (“your”)	halvanız	halvalarınız
onların (“their”)	halvası or halvaları	halvaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	halvamı	halvalarımı
sənin (“your”)	halvanı	halvalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	halvasını	halvalarını
bizim (“our”)	halvamızı	halvalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	halvanızı	halvalarınızı
onların (“their”)	halvasını or halvalarını	halvalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	halvama	halvalarıma
sənin (“your”)	halvana	halvalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	halvasına	halvalarına
bizim (“our”)	halvamıza	halvalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	halvanıza	halvalarınıza
onların (“their”)	halvasına or halvalarına	halvalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	halvamda	halvalarımda
sənin (“your”)	halvanda	halvalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	halvasında	halvalarında
bizim (“our”)	halvamızda	halvalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	halvanızda	halvalarınızda
onların (“their”)	halvasında or halvalarında	halvalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	halvamdan	halvalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	halvandan	halvalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	halvasından	halvalarından
bizim (“our”)	halvamızdan	halvalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	halvanızdan	halvalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	halvasından or halvalarından	halvalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	halvamın	halvalarımın
sənin (“your”)	halvanın	halvalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	halvasının	halvalarının
bizim (“our”)	halvamızın	halvalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	halvanızın	halvalarınızın
onların (“their”)	halvasının or halvalarının	halvalarının

Further reading

• “halva” in Obastan.com.

Dutch

Etymology

From Hebrew חלבה (halvá), from Romanian halva, from Ottoman Turkish حلوا (helva), from Persian حلوا (halvâ), from Arabic حَلْوَى (ḥalwā).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: hal‧va

Noun

halva f or m (plural halva's, diminutive halvaatje n)

1. halva

Estonian

Adjective

halva

1. genitive singular of halb

Finnish

Etymology

From Russian халва (xalva).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑlʋɑ/, [ˈhɑ̝lʋɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑlʋɑ
• Syllabification^(key): hal‧va
• Hyphenation^(key): hal‧va

Noun

halva

1. halva

Declension

Inflection of halva (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		halva	halvat
genitive		halvan	halvojen
partitive		halvaa	halvoja
illative		halvaan	halvoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		halva	halvat
accusative	nom.	halva	halvat
	gen.	halvan
genitive		halvan	halvojen halvain rare
partitive		halvaa	halvoja
inessive		halvassa	halvoissa
elative		halvasta	halvoista
illative		halvaan	halvoihin
adessive		halvalla	halvoilla
ablative		halvalta	halvoilta
allative		halvalle	halvoille
essive		halvana	halvoina
translative		halvaksi	halvoiksi
abessive		halvatta	halvoitta
instructive		—	halvoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

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

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative halvani halvani accusative nom. halvani halvani gen. halvani genitive halvani halvojeni halvaini rare partitive halvaani halvojani inessive halvassani halvoissani elative halvastani halvoistani illative halvaani halvoihini adessive halvallani halvoillani ablative halvaltani halvoiltani allative halvalleni halvoilleni essive halvanani halvoinani translative halvakseni halvoikseni abessive halvattani halvoittani instructive — — comitative — halvoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative halvasi halvasi accusative nom. halvasi halvasi gen. halvasi genitive halvasi halvojesi halvaisi rare partitive halvaasi halvojasi inessive halvassasi halvoissasi elative halvastasi halvoistasi illative halvaasi halvoihisi adessive halvallasi halvoillasi ablative halvaltasi halvoiltasi allative halvallesi halvoillesi essive halvanasi halvoinasi translative halvaksesi halvoiksesi abessive halvattasi halvoittasi instructive — — comitative — halvoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative halvamme halvamme accusative nom. halvamme halvamme gen. halvamme genitive halvamme halvojemme halvaimme rare partitive halvaamme halvojamme inessive halvassamme halvoissamme elative halvastamme halvoistamme illative halvaamme halvoihimme adessive halvallamme halvoillamme ablative halvaltamme halvoiltamme allative halvallemme halvoillemme essive halvanamme halvoinamme translative halvaksemme halvoiksemme abessive halvattamme halvoittamme instructive — — comitative — halvoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative halvanne halvanne accusative nom. halvanne halvanne gen. halvanne genitive halvanne halvojenne halvainne rare partitive halvaanne halvojanne inessive halvassanne halvoissanne elative halvastanne halvoistanne illative halvaanne halvoihinne adessive halvallanne halvoillanne ablative halvaltanne halvoiltanne allative halvallenne halvoillenne essive halvananne halvoinanne translative halvaksenne halvoiksenne abessive halvattanne halvoittanne instructive — — comitative — halvoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative halvansa halvansa accusative nom. halvansa halvansa gen. halvansa genitive halvansa halvojensa halvainsa rare partitive halvaansa halvojaan halvojansa inessive halvassaan halvassansa halvoissaan halvoissansa elative halvastaan halvastansa halvoistaan halvoistansa illative halvaansa halvoihinsa adessive halvallaan halvallansa halvoillaan halvoillansa ablative halvaltaan halvaltansa halvoiltaan halvoiltansa allative halvalleen halvallensa halvoilleen halvoillensa essive halvanaan halvanansa halvoinaan halvoinansa translative halvakseen halvaksensa halvoikseen halvoiksensa abessive halvattaan halvattansa halvoittaan halvoittansa instructive — — comitative — halvoineen halvoinensa

Further reading

• “halva”, 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 2 July 2023

French

Pronunciation

• ^{(aspirated h)} IPA^(key): /al.va/

Noun

halva m (plural halvas)

1. halva

Further reading

• “halva”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhɒlvɒ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: hal‧va
• Rhymes: -vɒ

Etymology 1

hal (“to die”) +‎ -va (adverbial-participle suffix)

Participle

halva

1. adverbial participle of hal (“to die”)

Adverb

halva

1. dead (as a complement: in the state of being dead)

   Synonym: holtan

   élve vagy halva ― dead or alive

   halva született ― stillborn

Derived terms

Expressions

• élve vagy halva

Etymology 2

Noun

halva (usually uncountable, plural halvák)

1. halva (confection usually made from crushed sesame seeds and honey)

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	halva	halvák
accusative	halvát	halvákat
dative	halvának	halváknak
instrumental	halvával	halvákkal
causal-final	halváért	halvákért
translative	halvává	halvákká
terminative	halváig	halvákig
essive-formal	halvaként	halvákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	halvában	halvákban
superessive	halván	halvákon
adessive	halvánál	halváknál
illative	halvába	halvákba
sublative	halvára	halvákra
allative	halvához	halvákhoz
elative	halvából	halvákból
delative	halváról	halvákról
ablative	halvától	halváktól
non-attributive possessive – singular	halváé	halváké
non-attributive possessive – plural	halváéi	halvákéi

Possessive forms of halva

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	halvám	halváim
2nd person sing.	halvád	halváid
3rd person sing.	halvája	halvái
1st person plural	halvánk	halváink
2nd person plural	halvátok	halváitok
3rd person plural	halvájuk	halváik

Derived terms

• halvás

Further reading

• (dead): halva in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• (halva [a confection usually made from crushed sesame seeds and honey]): halva in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.

Ingrian

Etymology

From Proto-Finnic *halpa. Cognates include Finnish halpa (“cheap”) and Estonian halb (“bad”).

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈhɑlʋɑ/, [ˈhɑɫʋ]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈhɑlʋɑ/, [ˈhɑɫʋɑ]
• Rhymes: -ɑlʋ, -ɑlʋɑ
• Hyphenation: hal‧va

Adjective

halva (comparative halvemp)

1. cheap
2. bad

Declension

Declension of halva (type 3/koira, no gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	halva	halvat
genitive	halvan	halviin
partitive	halvaa	halvia
illative	halvaa	halvii
inessive	halvaas	halviis
elative	halvast	halvist
allative	halvalle	halville
adessive	halvaal	halviil
ablative	halvalt	halvilt
translative	halvaks	halviks
essive	halvanna, halvaan	halvinna, halviin
exessive1)	halvant	halvint
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

References

• Ruben E. Nirvi (1971), Inkeroismurteiden Sanakirja, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, page 43

Italian

Noun

halva f

1. halva

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• halven

Noun

halva m or f

1. definite feminine singular of halve

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

halva f (definite singular halva, indefinite plural halver or halvor, definite plural halvene or halvone)

1. (pre-2012) alternative form of halve
2. definite singular of halve

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish حلوا (helva), from Arabic حَلْوَى (ḥalwā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /halˈva/

Noun

halva f (plural halvale)

1. halva

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	halva	halvaua	halvale	halvalele
genitive-dative	halvale	halvalei	halvale	halvalelor
vocative	halva		halvalelor

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish حلوا (helva) (Turkish helva), from Arabic حَلْوَى (ḥalwā).

Noun

halva f (Cyrillic spelling халва)

1. halva

   Synonym: tahan halva

Declension

Declension of halva

	singular	plural
nominative	halva	halve
genitive	halve	halva / halvi
dative	halvi	halvama
accusative	halvu	halve
vocative	halvo	halve
locative	halvom	halvama
instrumental	halvi	halvama

Swedish

Swedish numbers ^(edit)

	20
←  1	2	3  →
Cardinal: två     Ordinal: andra     Ordinal abbreviation: 2:a     Multiplier: tvåfaldig     Fractional: halva

Noun

halva c

1. halva

Noun

halva c

1. a half

   Jag gav barnen varsin halva av äpplet.

   I gave the kids one half of the apple each.

2. (colloquial) the second snaps drunk in a series

Declension

Declension of halva

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	halva	halvas
	definite	halvan	halvans
plural	indefinite	halvor	halvors
	definite	halvorna	halvornas

Adjective

halva

1. inflection of halv:
   1. definite singular
   2. plural

Derived terms

• ägghalva

Related terms

• halv
• halvera

See also

• hälft

References

• “halva”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “halva”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)