9alled قلد
Tunisian Derja · verb
“9alled” (قلد) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to imitate, to copy someone.
Meanings
- to imitate, to copy someone
- to mimic, to parody
Usage
The verb 9alled is commonly used for imitating someone: their voice, gestures, way of dressing or speaking. One says 9alled fléne ("he imitates so-and-so"). The tone is often mocking, like a child mimicking an adult or a comedian impersonating a celebrity. The word can also mean copying a product or an idea. In the present tense, one says y9alled. The corresponding noun is ta9lid ("imitation"). Be careful not to confuse it with 9lèda, "necklace," which comes from the same root but doesn't have the same meaning.
Example
ما تقلّدنيش، نعرفك تضحك عليّ
ma t9alledniich, na3rfek tod7ek 3liya
“Don't imitate me, I know you're making fun of me.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9alled” but also “9aled”, “galled” and “qalled”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.