ahali اهالي
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ahali” (اهالي) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning inhabitants of a place.
Meanings
- inhabitants of a place
- families, relatives
Usage
Ahali is almost always followed by a place name: "ahali el 7ouma" (the people of the neighbourhood), "ahali Sfax", "ahali el jiha". It refers to the local population as a community, with a nuance of belonging. It is often found in appeals, announcements and news reports, for example "ahali el mantqa yatalbou…" (the residents of the region are demanding…). More rarely, it refers to the families or relatives of a group of people. The singular is "ahl" or "ahel" (family).
Example
أهالي الحومة الكل خرجو يعاونو.
ahali el 7ouma lkol khrjou y3awnou.
“All the people of the neighbourhood came out to help.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ahali” but also “ahéli” and “ahaali”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.