ghlef غلاف
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ghlef” (غلاف) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning wrapping, gift wrap.
Meanings
- wrapping, gift wrap
- cover, protective case
- outer covering of an object
Usage
Ghlef refers to what wraps or covers an object. In shops, it is mostly heard when asking for gift wrapping: you ask the seller to "make a ghlef" with the verb 3mel. The word is also used for the cover of a notebook or book, or for the case of an object. It is understood everywhere and used in a common register. The French word "cadeau" is widely used alongside it, and people often say ghlef mta3 cadeau. The plural is ghlefet, but it is little used.
Example
تنجم تعمللي غلاف للكادو هذا؟
tnajjem ta3melli ghlef lel cadeau hedha?
“Can you wrap this gift for me?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ghlef” but also “ghlaf”, “8lef” and “ghléf”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 8 is light ha (ه) or ghayn (غ), depending on the writer.