laja

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *laqia (“ginger”). Compare Chinese 辣椒 (làjiāo).

• IPA^(key): /laja/

laja

1. galangal

• Javanese: ꦭꦲꦺꦴꦱ꧀ (laos, “galangal”)
  • → Indonesian: laos (“galangal”)

laja

1. blood

• Hyphenation: la‧ja

laja f (plural lajas)

1. Alternative form of laje

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

laja f (plural lajas)

1. slab

• “laja”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

From Tavringer Romani ladjas, lajjas, lajvas (“be ashamed”), from Romani ladž (“shame”). Related to Sanskrit लज्जा (lajjā, “shame”), Hindi लाज (lāj, “shame”). The shift in meaning from ’be ashamed’ to ’have fun’ is probably due to influence from another Romani loan lattja (“have fun”). Related to lajbans (“fun”).

• IPA^(key): /²laja/
• Rhymes: -aja

laja (present lajar, preterite lajade, supine lajat, imperative laja)

1. (colloquial) to play, to have fun
   • 1995, Olov Svedelid, Piraterna [The Pirates]:

     Men vi kunde inte låta bli att laja lite gangster.

     We couldn’t keep ourselves from playing gangster a little bit.

   • 2011 January 23, “Ungdomar får allt sämre kondition”, in Dagens Nyheter‎:

     Hur ofta ser man barn laja på gatan i dag?

     How often do you see children playing in the street today?

   • 2015, Johanna Lindbäck, Jan Svensson:

     Killarna på fotbollsplanen hade tagit ena målet och höll på att laja runt.

     The boys on the football field had occupied one of the goals and were playing around.

• laja runt

• lajbans