wellef ولّف
Moroccan Darija · verb
“wellef” (ولّف) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to get used to someone or something.
Meanings
- to get used to someone or something
- to grow attached to
Usage
Wellef takes a direct object: wellef l-blasa (he got used to the place). It expresses a habit that comes from frequent contact, often with a nuance of emotional attachment. It is used for a person, an animal, a place or a routine. It is common in the past (wellefti, "you got used to it") and in expressions like ma wellefch, "he didn't get used to it". The related noun is lwalf, habit or attachment. Pitfall for an English speaker: the verb does not mean "to love" in the strong sense. It marks a familiarity that has become necessary.
Example
راه ولّف لكلبة ديالو
rah wllef lkelba dialo
“He has gotten attached to his dog (female).”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanwllf | wllft | |
| nta (you, m.) | katwllf | wllfti | wllf |
| nti (you, f.) | katwllfi | wllfti | wllfi |
| howa (he) | kaywllf | wllf | |
| hiya (she) | katwllf | wllfat | |
| 7na (we) | kanwllfo | wllfna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katwllfo | wllfto | wllfo |
| homa (they) | kaywllfo | wllfo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wellef” but also “wllef”, “wllf”, “wallaf”, “wellaf” and “wllaf”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.