ya 7lili يا حليلي

Tunisian Derja · interjection

“ya 7lili” (يا حليلي) is an interjection in Tunisian Derja meaning alas, what a misfortune.

Meanings

1. alas, what a misfortune
2. poor thing (compassion)
3. oh my (astonishment)

Usage

Ya 7lili is an emotional exclamation, very common in speech. It expresses compassion, regret or mild dismay at bad news or a painful situation. It is often built with 3la to name the person being pitied: ya 7lili 3lih (poor him), ya 7lili 3liha. It can also express amused surprise or tenderness, for example when looking at a child. The register is familiar and warm. It is heard more often from women and older people. It has no specific religious value despite being translated as "my God".

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ya 7lili” but also “ya hlili”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.

Type “ya 7lili” on the Arabic keyboard

In Algerian Darja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “oh my! (astonishment)”; “poor me! (distress)”: ya hlili in Algerian.