7la حلى
Tunisian Derja · verb
“7la” (حلى) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to become pleasant, enjoyable.
Meanings
- to become pleasant, enjoyable
- to be sweet, sugary
Usage
The verb 7la is used mainly to say that something becomes pleasant or reaches its full flavor: an evening, an atmosphere, a conversation, a dish. It is often used without a complement: 7la el jaw (the atmosphere warmed up). With the preposition l-, it means to please someone: 7latli el blasa (I liked the place). The corresponding adjective is hlou (beautiful, sweet). Do not confuse it with halla (to open) or with halla with a doubled consonant meaning to sweeten, make sweet. Common register, very frequent in compliments and comments about a party.
Example
كي جاو الصحاب حلى الجو.
ki jew es-s7ab 7la el jaw.
“When the friends arrived, the atmosphere became pleasant.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7la” but also “hla”, “7lé”, “hlé” and “7lat”. 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.