lhelwa الحلوة
Algerian Darja · noun
“lhelwa” (الحلوة) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning sweets, candy.
Meanings
- sweets, candy
- sweet treat, something sugary
- the pretty one (feminine adjective)
Usage
Lhelwa commonly refers to the sweets and candy bought at the corner shop: hanout tâ3 lhelwa, jib lhelwa lel-wlad. It is a collective noun, used without a plural, like "confectionery". It should not be confused with lehlawiyat, which is more common for cakes and pastries, especially those made for celebrations. As a feminine adjective, helwa means "beautiful, pretty, sweet", for example lebnet el-helwa. Context distinguishes the two uses.
Example
جبت الحلوة للدراري من الحانوت.
jbet lhelwa le-ddrari men l7anout.
“I brought sweets for the kids from the corner shop.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “lhelwa” but also “lhalwa”, “l7elwa” and “lahlwa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.