walla ولى
Tunisian Derja · verb
“walla” (ولى) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to become; to start doing.
Meanings
- to become; to start doing
- to come back, return
- or (wella)
Usage
Walla, imperfect ywalli, is the common verb for "to become". Followed by an adjective or a noun, it marks a change of state: walla kbir, "he has grown up". Followed by an imperfect verb, it means "to start doing" or "to now do": walla yekhdem, "he started working". It also means "to come back": wallit mel khedma, "I came back from work". Written wella or walla, the same word serves as the conjunction "or": tey wella kahwa? Context tells these uses apart. The conjugation follows the subject: wallet for "she", wallew for "they".
Example
ياخي ولّى يسال علينا ... و عليه ؟
ya5i walla yes2el 3lina ... wou 3lih ?
“Look at that, he's started asking about us... and what about him?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “walla” but also “wella”, “wala”, “welle” and “wallé”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “walla” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
The same word also exists in Moroccan Darija, written ولّا, where it means “to become”; “to start (doing)”: wla in Moroccan.
In Algerian Darja
The same word also exists in Algerian Darja, written ولا, where it means “to become”; “or (conjunction)”: wella in Algerian.