asla3 اصلع
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“asla3” (اصلع) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning bald, hairless.
Meanings
- bald, hairless
- balding (on top)
Usage
Aslaa refers to a person who has lost their hair. The feminine is salaa and the plural is often salaa or salaïn. The word is descriptive and common. Depending on the tone, it can turn into mockery, especially in jokes and nicknames. The related verb is sla3 (to go bald): "bda yasla3", he is starting to lose his hair. It is also heard alongside fartas, which is very widespread with the same meaning. When describing someone in front of them, it is best to be careful: the term can offend.
Example
خويا الكبير ولّى أصلع وهو عمرو صغير.
khouya el kbir walla aslaa w houwa 3omrou sghir.
“My big brother went bald even though he is still young.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “asla3” but also “aslaa” and “asle3”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.