ghaleban غالبا
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“ghaleban” (غالبا) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning probably, most likely.
Meanings
- probably, most likely
- mostly, generally
Usage
Ghaleben expresses a high probability. It is often placed at the start of a sentence: ghaleben ma yjich, "he probably won't come". It can also mean "most of the time", for a habit or a general tendency. The word comes from standard Arabic but is well established in spoken Tunisian, alongside more colloquial phrases such as 3la ma yadhher (apparently) or ykoun (maybe). Despite what some sources say, it is not an adjective: it never agrees.
Example
غالبا يجي غدوة الصباح
ghaleben yji ghodwa sbe7
“He'll probably come tomorrow morning.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ghaleban” but also “ghalban” and “ghaliban”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “ghaleban” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “probably, no doubt”; “most often, generally”: ghaliban in Moroccan.
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “probably”; “mostly, most often”: ghaliban in Algerian.