9la9 قلق
Tunisian Derja · noun
“9la9” (قلق) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning boredom, weariness.
Meanings
- boredom, weariness
- annoyance, irritation
- worry
Usage
In Tunisian, "9le9" or "9la9" mainly means boredom and impatience, as well as annoyance. This differs from the sense of "anxiety" it has in Standard Arabic. The verb "9le9" means "to be bored" or "to be fed up", as in "9le9t" ("I'm bored, I've had enough"). The exclamation "9la9!" is said in the face of a tedious situation. The worry sense does exist, but it belongs mostly to the formal register.
Example
قلق كبير، ما عندي ما نعمل.
9la9 kbir, ma 3andi ma na3mel.
“What a bore, I have nothing to do.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9la9” but also “9le9”, “qla9” and “klak”. 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.