يلا
yallaeveryday, very common
The most common way to tell someone to hurry up in Lebanese is يلا (yalla). To be clear, say يلا بسرعة (yalla bsurʿa). Impatient friends say لك يلا (lak yalla).
Meaning: urging someone to be quick (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| يلا | yalla | everyday, very common |
| يلا بسرعة | yalla bsurʿa | clear |
| لك يلا | lak yalla | casual, impatient |
يلا also means "let us go", "come on" and "okay", so tone matters. Said sharply it means hurry.
Which one should you use?
لك (lak) is a Levantine interjection that adds force and is only for people you know well. With a stranger it can sound rude.
How does it change in a sentence?
To a group say يلا يا شباب (yalla yā shabāb), "come on, guys".
Did you know?
- The word يلا (yalla) is used across the Arab world and by speakers of Hebrew and Turkish, but in Lebanon it is almost a punctuation mark of daily speech.
Examples in context
- يلا، منتأخرyalla, mnitʾakhkharHurry up, we are going to be late.
- يلا بسرعة، الباص إجاyalla bsurʿa, el-bāṣ ijāHurry up, the bus came.
- لك يلا يا زلميlak yalla yā zalameCome on, man.
Example conversation
Hassan waits at the door while his sister Rita looks for her keys before work.
- Hassanيلا ريتا، منتأخرyalla Rīta, mnitʾakhkharHurry up Rita, we are late.
- Ritaدقيقة، ما لقيت مفاتيحيdaʾīʾa, ma laʾēt mafātīḥiOne minute, I cannot find my keys.
- Hassanيلا بسرعةyalla bsurʿaHurry up.
