yaoudi ياودي

Algerian Darja · interjection

“yaoudi” (ياودي) is an interjection in Algerian Darja meaning hey, listen (calling attention).

Meanings

1. hey, listen (calling attention)
2. man, dude

Usage

Yaoudi is a casual call for attention placed at the start of a sentence to get someone's attention or stress a point, a bit like "hey", "listen here" or "man". It is considered a contraction of ya weldi, "O my son". It is especially associated with the speech of western Algeria, with the variants aoudi and wedi. Despite its origin, it can be addressed to anyone, man or woman, with no sense of kinship. The tone can be friendly, exasperated or ironic depending on intonation. Avoid it in formal settings or with an older person you don't know.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “yaoudi” but also “yawdi”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “yaoudi” on the Arabic keyboard