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The farmers from Northern California who settled here a long time ago (probably before the 1950's) were patient and slow people and took everything with ease. When they communicated to explain "VERY" they would say "hell of a" instead of "very" or "a lot". Then the city folks who migrated in later to the Bay Area took the Northern California farmers saying and shortened it to "Hella" instead of "Hell of a."
So in the end the word "hella" comes from the Bay Area city folks. Short and sweet.
She/he was hella sweet.
It was hella cool.
The ride was hella fresh.
hella by Bay area gurl January 27, 2009
A multi-purpose word invented by people in north california, indigenous to the Bay Area.

Adjective: To describe a lot of something or something good.

Noun: A lot of

Adverb: Suplemental, inferrs a great quantity or that you're doing something and DOING IT RIGHT!

Interjection: An affirmation of what someone just said
Adjective: This party is hella chill.

Noun: I have hella.

Adverb: The Bay areais fuckin hella better than socal

Interjection: Nicole: Dude that shit was off tha hook
Jaime: hella!
Hella by Jaime Portocarrero January 5, 2004
Derived from "hell of a lot". Similar to "very, really, a lot," etc.

Used mostly in Northern California though has been heard in other parts of CA and even in the media such as an infamous "hella" South Park episode. (Cartman used it outside of its meaning to annoy Kyle.)
Before: There's a hell of a lot of beer in that fridge.

After: There's hella beer in that fridge.

As "very" or "really":

"That's hella far away!"
HELLA by Dirty Frank January 26, 2005
very, totally; lots of

N.B. Generally used in Northern California.
1. That party was hella sketch. What with all those skanky-ass girls.
2. There was HELLA weed tho!
hella by NorCAL all the way March 1, 2003
hella is to nor*cal what wicked is to boston
Hella by latida May 3, 2004
"Hella" is an all-purpose word. It has its roots deep in the soul (I meant to type soil, but soul works here too, haha) of Northern California. It means something along the lines of "very" or "really," but it's much more than that. It's not just a word, but a statement of cultural identification, of a long-standing bond of trust and respect for fellow Northern Californians, and of a mutual understanding between you and the rest of the world that you are from (or, in the case of anyone who has lived with kids from NorCal, that you are an honorary resident) NorCal. As the subtle innuendoes of the word can only be understood by absorption, one must experience and be engulfed by it (as Northern Californians are from birth) to truly understand when its usage is appropriate. Hella is a word. It's a symbol. It's a way of life. Hella.
Correct:

This is hella whack.
I just ate hella brownies.
I'm hella going to the library this weekend.

Incorrect:
I'm going hella to the library
hella by NorCal, May 22, 2008