wella ولا

Algerian Darja · verb

“wella” (ولا) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning to become.

Meanings

1. to become
2. or (conjunction)
3. to come back, return

Usage

Wella is a verb meaning "to become": wella kbir (he has become big), wlit (I became), twelli (you become). It can also mean "to come back": wella l dar (he went back home). The same word is very often used as a conjunction meaning "or": chay wella qahwa? (tea or coffee?). At the end of a question, wella la? means "or not?". In arabizi, it is sometimes written wala, which can be confused with the negation la.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wella” but also “wela”, “wala”, “walla” and “wlla”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find ولا and ولى, all the same word.

Type “wella” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to become”; “to start (doing)”: wla in Moroccan.

In Tunisian Derja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “or”; “to become”: walla in Tunisian.