wallah
The German phrase wallah is an exclamation used to swear that something is true.
wallah is used to emphasize the truthfulness of a statement, functioning similarly to the English expressions "I swear" or "I swear to God".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
wallah is considered slang, used primarily within youth culture and among people with migrant backgrounds in Germany.
When do people say it?
The term is a loanword from Arabic used in German street slang to express a solemn oath meaning "by God".
Did you know?
- The term has traveled a long path through several languages, moving from Arabic into Turkish as valla before entering German street slang.
- Even though it translates to 'by God', it is often used in German to emphasize even trivial or mundane facts, not just heavy or serious matters.
- The word is a key component of Kiezdeutsch, a multi-ethnic variety of German spoken in urban centers like Berlin and Frankfurt.
Examples in context
- Ich habe es nicht gemacht, wallah.I didn't do it, I swear.
- Das Essen war echt gut, wallah.The food was really good, honestly.
- Wallah, er kommt heute nicht mehr.I swear, he's not coming today.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing whether a guy actually told the truth about a party.
- JulianHat er wirklich gesagt, dass er kommt?Did he really say that he is coming?
- HannahJa, wallah, er hat es versprochen.Yes, I swear, he promised it.
- JulianBist du dir da ganz sicher?Are you absolutely sure about that?
- HannahJa, wallah, er ist sehr zuverlässig.Yes, I swear, he is very reliable.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wallah, CC BY-SA 4.0.
