mela مالة
Tunisian Derja · particle
“mela” (مالة) is a particle in Tunisian Derja meaning so, then.
Meanings
- so, then
- what a…! (exclamatory)
Usage
Mela is a very frequent particle of spoken Tounsi. At the start of a sentence, it links to what was said or draws a conclusion: mela nemchiw ? "so, shall we go?". Followed by a noun, it becomes exclamatory: mela 7kéya ! "what a story!", mela far7a ! "what joy!". Tone often makes the difference between a neutral conclusion and irony ("so be careful"). The register is informal and everyday. It should not be confused with malla, another possible spelling, nor with mel, "from".
Example
مالة نمشيو؟
Mela nemchiw?
“So, shall we go?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mela” but also “mala”, “malla” and “méla”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.