lah لاه
Algerian Darja · noun
“lah” (لاه) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning God (in blessings).
Meanings
- God (in blessings)
- why (short for 3lah)
Usage
Lah is the shortened form of Allah. It is found in blessing and prayer formulas: lah yhafdek (may God protect you), lah ybarek, lah yrahmou. It is very common in writing on social media, where it reflects fast pronunciation. The word can also be a reduced form of 3lah (why) in a question: lah ma jitch? Only context can decide. If it is followed by a verb expressing a wish, it is God; if it opens a question, it is "why". The register is informal.
Example
لاه يحفظك ويخليك لوالديك
lah yahfdek w ykhallik l waldik
“May God protect you and keep you for your parents.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “lah” but also “lahh” and “llah”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “lah” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “God (short form of Allah)”; “in "lah ykhlik": please”: lah in Moroccan.