bla3 بلع
Algerian Darja · verb
“bla3” (بلع) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning to close, shut (door, mouth, window).
Meanings
- to close, shut (door, mouth, window)
- to swallow
Usage
In darja, the verb bella3 (intensive form; imperative bella3 or bla3) very commonly means "to close": bella3 el bab, "close the door". The form bla3 in the sense of "to swallow" also exists, but it is less frequent in daily life. The expression "bla3 foumek" (close your mouth, shut up) is very widespread and frankly rude. It is used to silence someone, often in online arguments. The pitfall is to understand "swallow" where the speaker means "close".
Example
بلع الباب راهو البرد
bella3 el bab rahou lebred
“Close the door, it's cold.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bla3” but also “bella3”, “bala3”, “blaa” and “bela3”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.
Type “bla3” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to swallow”; “to shut up (with fomm)”: bla3 in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to swallow”; “to fall for, believe naively”: bla3 in Tunisian.