تسلل
tasallala
To sneak in Arabic is تسلل (tasallala).
Meaning: to creep (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
tasallala
Did you know?
- In Arabic football commentary, the term for 'offside' is تسلل, the same word used for 'sneaking'. This describes a player sneaking behind the defensive line.
- The root س ل ل is also used in the word for 'extracting' something carefully, like pulling a sword from a scabbard, mirroring the precision of a sneak.
- While تسلل refers to physical creeping, the concept of 'sneaking' a glance or a look is often expressed using the word for 'stealing' (سرق) in many dialects.
Examples in context
- يجب أن تتسلل إلى الغرفة بدون أن يراك أحد.You have to sneak into the room without anyone seeing you.
- تسلل اللص من النافذة.tasallala al-lisu min al-nafidhah.The thief sneaked through the window.
Example conversation
Ahmed and Nour are playing a game of hide and seek in a dark house.
- أحمد Ahmedهل رأيتِ كيف تسلل القط؟hal ra'ayti kayfa tasalla al-qitt?Did you see how the cat crept?
- نور Nourنعم، لقد تسلل بهدوء شديد.na'am, laqad tasalla bi-hudu' shadid.Yes, he crept very quietly.
- أحمد Ahmedيجب أن نتسلل مثل هذا القط.yajibu an natasalla mithla hadha al-qitt.We must creep just like this cat.
- نور Nourأنا مستعدة الآن.ana musta'idda al-an.I am ready now.
