ghla غلاء
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ghla” (غلاء) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning high cost, expensiveness.
Meanings
- high cost, expensiveness
- price rises, high cost of living
Usage
Ghla refers to things being expensive. It is heard mostly in the expression ghla el as3ar, "the high cost of prices", which comes up constantly in everyday talk, at the market as well as in the media and political debates. The word is a noun: you don't say "c'est ghla" for "it's expensive". For that, use the adjective ghali. The corresponding verb is ghla, "to become expensive, to rise". The register is neutral and suits both casual conversation and a more formal tone. It is often tied to complaints about purchasing power.
Example
الغلاء ولّى ما يتحمّلش، كل شي زاد.
el ghla walla ma yet7ammelch, kol chay zed.
“The high cost of living has become unbearable, everything has gone up.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ghla” but also “ghlé”, “ghle” and “ghlaa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.