VOOZH about

URL: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/wallah-yalla.3799728/

⇱ wallah - yalla | WordReference Forums


Menu


Install the app
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.

wallah - yalla

Dimitris29

Senior Member
Greek
Hi to all.

I would like some assistance to translate these words in my language.

From dictionaries:

Wallah (Arabic)= I swear by God/Allah, but often used as "I promise" or as a filler word/cultural marker.
Is "I promise" a good translation when used in sentences?

Yallah=hurry, but often used as a filler, similar to "okay", "you know" etc, or as a cultural marker.

Examples I've encountered.
1) Two gang members discussing.
A: Do your job or you're dead!
B: Okay, I'll get him today, .


2) Two adults discussing.
C: Man, these kids nowadays, they are so soft, . In their age, I was treated like s**t.
D: , don't mind them.


3) A man plays with his son in the countryside with a ball and speaks:
I throw the ball and whoever gets it first wins. Yalla, yalla, run!

4) That same man sees a dangerous guy approaching, probably an assassin, and calls his son to come back.
Sami, come. Throw the ball and come.

Questions:
1) First example, I believe "wallah" here does mean "I promise". Promise to do the job. Right?
2) "Wallah" is similar to "I'll tell you/Let me tell you" here. Right?
What does "yalla" mean here?
3) Can I drop yalla in "Okay, yalla" ? "Okay" and "Yalla" have the same meaning here, right?
4) Totally confused here.
Last edited:
They both mean a lot of different things. In these examples, more or less:

1) 'I swear'
2) 'I swear'/'honestly'/'I tell you', 'ehh' (this use of yalla has no obvious English equivalent that I can think of)
3) 'Go!'
4) 'Let's go'
Thank you, that's very helpful.
Back
Top Bottom