halli هاللي

Tunisian Derja · pronoun

“halli” (هاللي) is a pronoun in Tunisian Derja meaning the one who, those who.

Meanings

1. the one who, those who
2. what, that which
3. who, which, that (relative)

Usage

Halli combines the demonstrative prefix "ha-" and the relative "elli". It refers to a person or thing already present in the conversation or the situation. It is used alone in the sense of "the one who" or "what", or after a noun as a simple relative. It does not change for gender or number. The register is informal and everyday, frequent in speech as well as in online comments. Context shows whether a person or a thing is meant. It often amounts to "elli" alone, with a more pointed, designating nuance.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “halli” but also “hali”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “halli” on the Arabic keyboard