Meaning & use
tala
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Meanings
nouncountable
The unit of money used in Samoa.
Grammar: Plural is also 'tala': 'five tala'. Use 'a tala' for one unit.
Patterns
- one tala
- ten tala
- in tala
The meal cost about twenty tala.
She exchanged her dollars for tala at the airport.
Prices in the market are written in tala.
nouncountablemusicIndian
A repeating rhythmic pattern used in Indian classical music.
Grammar: Often used with 'a' or in the plural 'talas'; usually appears with words like 'cycle' or 'beat'.
Patterns
- a tala cycle
- play in a tala
The drummer kept a steady tala throughout the performance.
Students learn to count the beats of each tala.
This piece is built on a seven-beat tala.
Word forms
| plural | tala |
|---|---|
| plural | talas |
Common combinations
- Samoan tala
- The bill came to 150 Samoan tala.
- tala cycle
- The tala cycle repeats after eight beats.
- in tala
- You can pay in tala or in US dollars.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rhythm
- A general word for any pattern of beats; 'tala' is the specific Indian classical term.
Word family
- talas noun
- Plural form used for more than one rhythmic pattern.
Commonly confused: tala or talar?
tala vs talar
'Talar' is an adjective meaning relating to the ankle, used in medical contexts; it is not related to money or music.
Practice
In which sentence does 'tala' mean a unit of money?
Choose one answer.
Only the first sentence refers to paying money. The other sentences describe a musical rhythm.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tala”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.