والله
wallah
The English phrase "wallah" translates to Arabic as والله.
The expression والله means "I swear by Allah" or "I promise by God". It is used both to swear an oath to emphasize that one is telling the truth and as an interjection to express surprise or disbelief.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression is composed of the conjunction و (meaning "and" or "by") and الله (meaning "God").
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
والله is very common in informal, colloquial speech, often used as a conversational filler or an expression of shock despite its religious grounding. For more formal ways to express this, you can use Bi-llah, which translates to "by Allah" or Tallahi, which translates to "I swear to God".
How do you pronounce it?
wallah
Did you know?
- The word والله has entered the slang of several non-Arabic languages, including French and German, where it is used by youth to mean 'really' or 'honestly'.
- While the phrase is rooted in Islamic tradition, it is also used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews to emphasize truth, as the word الله refers to 'God' generally in many linguistic contexts.
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, saying والله too frequently in a single conversation can make a speaker seem less trustworthy, as over-swearing is sometimes seen as a sign of lying.
Examples in context
- والله أنا لم أفعل ذلك.Wallah ana lam af'al dhalik.I swear to God, I didn't do that.
- والله الطعام لذيذ جداً.Wallah al-ta'am ladhid jiddan.I swear, the food is very delicious.
- والله سأكون هناك في الموعد.Wallah sa-akunu hunaka fi al-maw'id.I swear I will be there on time.
Example conversation
Ziad is trying to convince Nour that he finished his work.
- نور Nourهل أنهيت عملك اليوم؟Hal anhayta 'amalaka al-yawm?Did you finish your work today?
- زياد Ziadوالله، لقد انتهيت للتو.Wallah, laqad intahaytu lil-taw.I swear, I just finished.
- نور Nourأنت دائماً تقول ذلك.Anta da'iman taqulu dhalik.You always say that.
- زياد Ziadوالله، أنا أقول الحقيقة.Wallah, ana aqulu al-haqiqa.I swear, I am telling the truth.
