rod belek رد بالك
Tunisian Derja · expression
“rod belek” (رد بالك) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning watch out, be careful.
Meanings
- watch out, be careful
- take care (of)
Usage
Rod belek is the usual expression for "watch out" or "be careful!". It is used to warn of immediate danger, or to caution more generally. It takes "men" for the danger, rod belek mel karhba (watch out for the car), and "3la" for what you take care of, rod belek 3la rou7ek (take care of yourself). The pronoun agrees with the person addressed: rodi belek to a woman, rodou belkom to several people. It is also an affectionate parting formula.
Example
رد بالك من الكرهبة!
rod belek mel karhba!
“Watch out for the car!”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “rod belek” but also “red belek”, “rod balek” and “redd belek”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “rod belek” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “be careful, watch out”; “take care of”: red balek in Algerian.