hayel هايل
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“hayel” (هايل) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning great, awesome.
Meanings
- great, awesome
- wonderful, gorgeous
Usage
Hayel expresses very positive appreciation, like "awesome" or "great". It is often used on its own, as a reply, to approve a proposal or news: "hayel!". It also describes a person, a dish, a landscape or a film. The register is informal and common, especially among young people. The feminine is hayla and the plural is haylin. The meaning is always positive in derja. Do not confuse it with the meaning "frightening, terrible" that it has in Standard Arabic.
Example
الماكلة متاعك هايلة برشا!
el makla mte3ek hayla barcha!
“Your cooking is really great!”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “hayel” but also “hayl”, “haayel” and “hayla”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.