tlaha تلهى
Tunisian Derja · verb
“tlaha” (تلهى) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to take care of, devote oneself to.
Meanings
- to take care of, devote oneself to
- to meddle in others' affairs
- to amuse oneself, be distracted
Usage
Tlaha is almost always built with the preposition b: tlaha b something or someone, "to take care of". It is a very common everyday verb. Tlaha b rou7ek, "take care of yourself", is often used to tell someone not to meddle in what doesn't concern them. Tlaha bel 3bed, by contrast, describes a person who spends their time commenting on other people's lives, with a critical nuance. Depending on context, the verb can also mean "to amuse oneself, to be absorbed in something". The exact meaning therefore depends a lot on the complement. In the present tense, it is yetlha.
Example
تلهى بروحك وخلّي النّاس في حالها
tlaha b rou7ek w khalli ennes fi 7alha
“Mind your own business and leave people alone.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tlaha” but also “tleha”, “tlha”, “tlahha”, “itlaha” and “etlaha”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find تلهى and اتلهى, all the same word.