rak mli7 راك مليح
Algerian Darja · expression
“rak mli7” (راك مليح) is an expression in Algerian Darja meaning are you well?.
Meanings
- are you well?
- you are well (statement)
Usage
A greeting typical of western Algeria (Oran, Tlemcen, Mostaganem), where mlih means "well". In the Centre, one would rather say rak labas or rak bien. It is made of rak, "you are", and mlih, "well". It agrees with the person addressed: raki mliha for a woman, rakoum mlah for several people. It is often reinforced with wach: wach rak mlih ?. The usual reply is mlih el hamdoullah or labas. Depending on intonation, it can also express concern ("are you okay? nothing wrong?") or irony along the lines of "are you serious?".
Example
واش راك مليح؟ راني نسقسي عليك
wach rak mli7? rani nsa9si 3lik
“Are you well? I'm checking on you.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “rak mli7” but also “rak mlih”, “rak mle7” and “rak mleh”. 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.