qala

/qala/ · plural qalala

1. (n.) fortress, castle, stronghold (Ar.)

qalanı aldıla — they took the fortress
jawdan qoruwlanırça qala — a fortress for defending against the enemy
bek qala — a strong fortress
taw başında eski qala turadı — an old fortress stands atop the mountain
jawla qalanı almay qaytdıla — the enemies returned without taking the fortress
qalanı murdoru küçlü taşdan etilgendi — the fortress's foundation is made of strong stone

2. (n.) palace, magnificent building, mansion (Ar.)

hannı qalası — the khan's palace
demeŋili qala — a magnificent palace
han qalası altından jarıdı — the khan's palace gleamed with gold
patçahnı qalasında otowla — chambers in the tsar's palace
qala kibik ariw üy — a house beautiful as a palace

3. (n.) tower, tall stone building — Used especially of the old family towers of Balkaria, such as Abaylanı qalası.

Abaylanı qalaları — the towers of the Abaev family
miyik taş qalala köbdüle — there are many tall stone towers
taşdan işlenŋen miyik qalalanı körebiz — we see tall towers built of stone
Abaylanı qalasını oyulğan jerlerin jamağandıla — they repaired the ruined parts of the Abaev tower

4. (n.) city, town (Ar.; arch.) — In this meaning it survives mainly after the name of a town, as in Nalçik qala.

Nalçik qala — the town of Nalchik
Bahsan qalanı bazarında — at the market of Baksan town
Gum qalada mal bazarda tübeşdile — they met at the livestock market in Gum town

5. (n.) mainstay, support, bulwark (Ar.; fig.)

ana üyürnü qalasıdı — a mother is the mainstay of the family
sen bizni qalabızsa — you are our mainstay
halqnı qalası — the bulwark of the people
halqlanı arasında şuyohluq mamırlıqnı qalasıdı — friendship between peoples is the bulwark of peace

6. (n.) basis, foundation, the main thing something rests on (fig.)

nart söz – tilni qalası — a proverb is the foundation of language

Expressions

qalası oyulurğa — fall into ruin; lose one's mainstay (Idiom)

Cases and owners

Singular

Singular — cases of qala, plain and with an owner
Case	—plain	menimy	seniyour	anıhis / her	bizniour	sizniyou all's	alanıtheir
Nominative	qalathe fortress	qalammy fortress	qalaŋyour fortress	qalasıhis fortress	qalabızour fortress	qalağızyou all's fortress	qalalarıtheir fortresses
Genitive	qalanıthe fortress'	qalamımy fortress'	qalaŋıyour fortress'	qalasınıhis fortress'	qalabıznıour fortress'	qalağıznıyou all's fortress'	qalalarınıtheir fortresses'
Accusative	qalanıthe fortress (as the object)	qalamımy fortress (as the object)	qalaŋıyour fortress (as the object)	qalasınhis fortress (as the object)	qalabıznıour fortress (as the object)	qalağıznıyou all's fortress (as the object)	qalalarıntheir fortresses (as the object)
Dative	qalağato the fortress	qalamato my fortress	qalaŋato your fortress	qalasınato his fortress	qalabızğato our fortress	qalağızğato you all's fortress	qalalarınato their fortresses
Locative	qaladain / at the fortress	qalamdain / at my fortress	qalaŋdain / at your fortress	qalasındain / at his fortress	qalabızdain / at our fortress	qalağızdain / at you all's fortress	qalalarındain / at their fortresses
Ablative	qaladanfrom the fortress	qalamdanfrom my fortress	qalaŋdanfrom your fortress	qalasındanfrom his fortress	qalabızdanfrom our fortress	qalağızdanfrom you all's fortress	qalalarındanfrom their fortresses

Plural

Plural — cases of qala, plain and with an owner
Case	—plain	menimy	seniyour	anıhis / her	bizniour	sizniyou all's	alanıtheir
Nominative	qalalathe fortresses	qalalarımmy fortresses	qalalarıŋyour fortresses	qalalarıhis fortresses	qalalarıbızour fortresses	qalalarığızyou all's fortresses	qalalarıtheir fortresses
Genitive	qalalanıthe fortresses'	qalalarımımy fortresses'	qalalarıŋıyour fortresses'	qalalarınıhis fortresses'	qalalarıbıznıour fortresses'	qalalarığıznıyou all's fortresses'	qalalarınıtheir fortresses'
Accusative	qalalanıthe fortresses (as the object)	qalalarımımy fortresses (as the object)	qalalarıŋıyour fortresses (as the object)	qalalarınhis fortresses (as the object)	qalalarıbıznıour fortresses (as the object)	qalalarığıznıyou all's fortresses (as the object)	qalalarıntheir fortresses (as the object)
Dative	qalalağato the fortresses	qalalarımato my fortresses	qalalarıŋato your fortresses	qalalarınato his fortresses	qalalarıbızğato our fortresses	qalalarığızğato you all's fortresses	qalalarınato their fortresses
Locative	qalaladain / at the fortresses	qalalarımdain / at my fortresses	qalalarıŋdain / at your fortresses	qalalarındain / at his fortresses	qalalarıbızdain / at our fortresses	qalalarığızdain / at you all's fortresses	qalalarındain / at their fortresses
Ablative	qalaladanfrom the fortresses	qalalarımdanfrom my fortresses	qalalarıŋdanfrom your fortresses	qalalarındanfrom his fortresses	qalalarıbızdanfrom our fortresses	qalalarığızdanfrom you all's fortresses	qalalarındanfrom their fortresses

The overlap in the last rows is real, not a mistake: qalaları can mean "his / her fortresses", "their fortress", or "their fortresses" — context decides.

The endings are the same ones the pronouns wear — that page explains when each case is used.