moula مولا
Tunisian Derja · noun
“moula” (مولا) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning owner, boss (of something).
Meanings
- owner, boss (of something)
- one who has a quality
- the Lord (God)
Usage
Moula is almost always followed by a complement: moula el qahwa (the café owner), moula eddar (the owner of the house), moula el karhba (the owner of the car). It is also used to attribute a quality: moula el 3ezz (the generous man, a man of dignity). The feminine is mouet or moulet (moulet eddar, the lady of the house). The plural is mwelin, very common: mwelin el hanout (the shopkeepers). In a religious register, Mawla refers to God. Without a complement, the word sounds incomplete.
Example
مولا الدار طلب الكراء قبل الوقت.
moula eddar tlab el kre9 9bal el wa9t.
“The owner of the house asked for the rent ahead of time.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “moula” but also “mola”, “moulé”, “mawla” and “moulla”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.