inchallah انشالله
Tunisian Derja · expression
“inchallah” (انشالله) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning God willing.
Meanings
- God willing
- I hope that
- yes, maybe (evasive reply)
Usage
Inchallah is an omnipresent expression, across all generations and all circles. It is used whenever one talks about a plan or a wish for the future: "inchallah tenja7" (I hope you'll succeed). It goes at the start or end of a sentence and often serves as the equivalent of "I hope that". In speech, it is frequently shortened to nchallah. In reply to a request, it can also express vague agreement, even a polite refusal: an English speaker should not always take it as a firm promise.
Example
نشالله تنجح في الباك
nchallah tenja7 fel bac
“God willing, you'll pass the bac.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “inchallah” but also “nchallah”, “inshallah”, “nchalah”, “incha2allah” and “nchalla”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find انشالله and انشاءالله, all the same word.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 2 is hamza (ء), a glottal stop.