swwel سوّل
Moroccan Darija · verb
“swwel” (سوّل) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to ask, pose a question.
Meanings
- to ask, pose a question
- to ask after someone
- to care about (negative)
Usage
Swwel is the usual verb for "to ask for information" or "to ask a question". It is conjugated as follows: swwelt (I asked), kansowwel (I ask), sowwel (ask!). It is used in three ways. With a direct object, it refers to the person being asked: swwel bba (ask Dad). With 3la, it refers to what one is looking for: swwel 3la l-blassa (ask where the place is). With f, it means "to ask after someone": swwel fiya (he asked after me). In the negative, ma kansowwelch fih means "I don't care about it". The corresponding noun is sou2al (question). Pitfall: to "ask for something", such as an object or a favor, tleb is used instead.
Example
واخا سول ليا عفاك
wakha swl lya 3afak
“Okay, ask on my behalf, please.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanswwl | swwlt | |
| nta (you, m.) | katswwl | swwlti | swwl |
| nti (you, f.) | katswwli | swwlti | swwli |
| howa (he) | kayswwl | swwl | |
| hiya (she) | katswwl | swwlat | |
| 7na (we) | kanswwlo | swwlna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katswwlo | swwlto | swwlo |
| homa (they) | kayswwlo | swllo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “swwel” but also “sowwel”, “swl”, “sawwel”, “swel” and “swwl”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “swwel” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “to ask a question”; “to ask after someone”: sewwel in Algerian.