wallahi ولاهي
Tunisian Derja · interjection
“wallahi” (ولاهي) is an interjection in Tunisian Derja meaning I swear, really.
Meanings
- I swear, really
- emphasis on a statement
Usage
Wallahi literally means "by God". It is used to back up a statement or a promise, at the start or end of a sentence: "wallahi ma na3ref" (I swear I don't know). It is extremely frequent and often emptied of its value as an oath: it is then equivalent to "frankly" or "really". In online writing, it appears under many spellings, including abbreviated ones. It marks emphasis rather than a solemn commitment, but it is still inappropriate to use it to lie openly.
Example
ولّاهي موجود وقتاش تحبّ نجيب لكم
Walahi mawjoud wa9tech t7eb njibelkom
“I swear it's available, whenever you want I'll bring you some.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wallahi” but also “walahi”, “wallah” and “wellahi”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.