guelta ڨلتة
Algerian Darja · noun
“guelta” (ڨلتة) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning natural desert pool.
Meanings
- natural desert pool
- waterhole, lasting pool
Usage
A guelta is a natural water reserve, often set in a rocky hollow. It remains after the rains or is fed by a spring. The word is used mainly in the Algerian South, notably in the Hoggar and the Tassili, where these water points are vital for nomads and livestock. French has taken it over as is in Saharan geographical vocabulary. Outside the Sahara, the word is less common. In the North, people say "ain" for a spring or "mardja" for marshy ground instead.
Example
رحنا للڨلتة نشربو الما
rehna l'guelta nechorbou el-ma
“We went to the guelta to drink water.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “guelta” but also “gelta”, “galta” and “guelt”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.