hlili حليلي
Tunisian Derja · interjection
“hlili” (حليلي) is an interjection in Tunisian Derja meaning alas, poor me.
Meanings
- alas, poor me
- poor thing! (pity, irony)
Usage
Hlili, often preceded by ya (ya hlili), is a typically Tunisian interjection. It expresses complaint, compassion or dismay, roughly like "alas" or "oh my God". It is used in the face of a distressing situation, and often ironically to mock naivety or pretension: ya hlili 3lik, "poor you". The register is informal and the usage rather affectionate. It is heard a lot among older people, but also online. The word does not inflect. The tone determines the meaning: it can be genuine pity or mockery.
Example
يا حليلي، الكرهبة تكسرت في نص الثنية!
ya hlili, el karhba tkassret fi noss ethniya!
“Oh poor me, the car broke down in the middle of the road!”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “hlili” but also “7lili” and “ya7lili”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.