# Algerian Arabic: At all



## sarllou18

Hi all,
I was wondering how 'at all' would be said in the Algerian dialect.  I know the Egyptian equivalent such as ' Khaalis' etc.  If there are different words used within different regions of Algeria then I would appreciate it if they are mentioned as well. 
Shukran bizzaaf


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## إسكندراني

In Morocco they use والوا (walou) so they might use it in western Algeria too. But it's used like ما عندي والوا not ما عنديش حاجة خالص which is quite peculiar and not typical of their own negation 'rule'. At least that's what I've gathered from hearing it a few times.


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## Finland

Hello!



sarllou18 said:


> I was wondering how 'at all' would be said in the Algerian dialect. I know the Egyptian equivalent such as ' Khaalis' etc. If there are different words used within different regions of Algeria then I would appreciate it if they are mentioned as well.



I think you should suggest some sentences, because "at all" can be used in such various ways. But in general, some common words for this in Algerian Arabic are ga3 (قع), hetta hadja (حتى حاجة) and sometimes ditou (French "du tout"). Out of all these, you probably her ga3 the most.

HTH
S


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## sarllou18

Finland said:


> Hello!
> 
> 
> 
> I think you should suggest some sentences, because "at all" can be used in such various ways. But in general, some common words for this in Algerian Arabic are ga3 (قع), hetta hadja (حتى حاجة) and sometimes ditou (French "du tout"). Out of all these, you probably her ga3 the most.
> 
> HTH
> S



Thanks so far!
Well the usages I was thinking nof were:
I haven't done anything at all
There's nothing here at all
She doesn't say anything at all

Hakda


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## Xence

As usual, Finland has proven his mastery of the Algerian dialect. 
It's true that many words may be used, depending on the context and the area : _7atta 7aaja_ حتى حاجة , _ga3 _(not used in Eastern areas), _khlaas _خلاص (some would pronounce it _khlaa _خلا).

So, I personally would translate your examples as follows:

I haven't done anything at all = _ma dert waalu = ma dert 7atta 7aaja_

There's nothing here at all = _ma kaayen waalu hna = ma kaayen 7atta 7aaja hna_

She doesn't say anything at all = _ma hi tguul fi waalu = ma gaalet 7atta 7aaja_



In the above examples, one doesn't need to use _ga3 _nor _khlaas_.


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## إسكندراني

Can you give an example of how you use قع? That word has puzzled me for a while now.


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## Xence

For example :

I don't know him at all = _ma na3arfuush ga3_  (it's exclusively pronounced with *g* , never with *q*)


But,as I said previously, this word is not used in Eastern regions. We rather say : _ma na3arfuush khlaas_ or _ma na3arfuush kaamel_.

I am not sure of the origin of this word, it may be Berber or something else. This word is most used in western and middle areas of the country (including Algiers).


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## إسكندراني

It's used in Eastern Morocco as well, that's why I heard it. So you never use 'ga3' at the beginning of a word? Thanks!


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## Xence

_ga3 _may of course be used in an affirmative way. In this case, it simply means _all _and can be put at the beginning of the sentence, of course.

Example (talking about a set of nice things) : _ga3 mlaa7_


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## إسكندراني

آآآه كدا فهمت - تسلم


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## Hemza

"ga3" comes from the Arabic word "qa3" which means "deep, profond" in MSA. Maghrebian dialects use a lot of metaphors and "qa3" (at least, in Morocco) is used for "deep", and "ga3" is used to say "at all". We also say "bil kul" (I don't know if it's used in Algerian).


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## tounsi51

Hemza said:


> "ga3" comes from the Arabic word "qa3" which means "deep, profond" in MSA. Maghrebian dialects use a lot of metaphors and "qa3" (at least, in Morocco) is used for "deep", and "ga3" is used to say "at all". We also say "bil kul" (I don't know if it's used in Algerian).



I heard ga3 was from berber origin. In Tunisia we say el qa3 for the floor, we don't use el 2ardh.

Fel 9a3= par terre.

Anyway in Tunisia we will say:

- ma 3andich bel kol
- ma 3andich jemla
- ma 3andich 5lass


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## Hemza

tounsi51 said:


> I heard ga3 was from berber origin. In Tunisia we say el qa3 for the floor, we don't use el 2ardh.
> 
> Fel 9a3= par terre.
> 
> Anyway in Tunisia we will say:
> 
> - ma 3andich bel kol
> - ma 3andich jemla
> - ma 3andich 5lass



I'm sure it's from Arabic origin.


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## momai

We say "bnob"بنوب  in Syria and I'd be thankful if anybody knows its etymology.


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## Aloulu

I finally understand now what "ga3" means, never really understood it but heard it alot!

In Tunisian we also say very often "ma3andi 7ata shai", or "ma 3amalt 7ata shai!", "ma n3arfou 7ata shai!" etc.
At all depends on the sentence, to give it a stronger evocative meaning we add "7ata" in front of "shai".


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## Xence

Hemza said:


> "ga3" comes from the Arabic word "qa3" which means "deep, profond" in MSA. Maghrebian dialects use a lot of metaphors and "qa3" (at least, in Morocco) is used for "deep", and "ga3" is used to say "at all". We also say "bil kul" (I don't know if it's used in Algerian).




Yes, _bi-l-kull_ is also used in a few areas in Algeria, with different pronounciations (_bel-kell_ in Jijel, for example).

As for the etymology of the Algerian/Moroccan _ga3_, I doubt it has anything to do with the Arabic _qaa3 _(= bottom). I personally use the word _gaa3 _for depth, but never _ga3 _as discussed in this topic.


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## tounsi51

Xence said:


> Yes, _bi-l-kull_ is also used in a few areas in Algeria, with different pronounciations (_bel-kell_ in Jijel, for example).
> 
> As for the etymology of the Algerian/Moroccan _ga3_, I doubt it has anything to do with the Arabic _qaa3 _(= bottom). I personally use the word _gaa3 _for depth, but never _ga3 _as discussed in this topic.



As far as I know people from Algiers will say "ga3" to translate everybody and to say all. 

Example: ga3 djaw= they all came

I think in Algeria they will say "5lass" for at all and in Morocco ga3


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## vinyljunkie619

ga3/ka3/2a3 - (tlemcen dialect)
bil kul
walo


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## إسكندراني

Also in Egyptian
إطلاقا
أبدا


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## Hemza

Aloulu said:


> I finally understand now what "ga3" means, never really understood it but heard it alot!
> 
> In Tunisian we also say very often "ma3andi 7ata shai", or "ma 3amalt 7ata shai!", "ma n3arfou 7ata shai!" etc.
> At all depends on the sentence, to give it a stronger evocative meaning we add "7ata" in front of "shai".



Oh yes, even in Moroccan, "7ata" is used to say "nothing". I also heard it in Najdi dialect. We say "7ata 7aja" or "7ata chi" or also with other verbs like: "ma qult 7ata kilma".


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## Bakr

momai said:


> We say "bnob"بنوب  in Syria and I'd be thankful if anybody knows its etymology.


يستعمل المغاربة:ـ
حتى مرّة، بمرّة، حتى نوبة، حتى خطرة، بخطرة...ـ
هل بنوب هي اختصار بنوبة/ولو حتى نوبة، مثل اختصار المغاربة بالمرّة/ولو حتى مرّة إلى بمرّة؟​


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## Hemza

Bakr said:


> يستعمل المغاربة:ـ
> حتى مرّة، بمرّة، حتى نوبة، حتى خطرة، بخطرة...ـ
> هل بنوب هي اختصار بنوبة/ولو حتى نوبة، مثل اختصار المغاربة بالمرّة/ولو حتى مرّة إلى بمرّة؟​



Oh yes, I thought about the same thing!!! "nuba" which means "a turn" in Moroccan, I think it comes from Andalusian music, because "nuba" is the name of a variant of Andalusian music (I'm not sure).


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## Finland

Hello!



Hemza said:


> Oh yes, I thought about the same thing!!! "nuba" which means "a turn" in Moroccan, I think it comes from Andalusian music, because "nuba" is the name of a variant of Andalusian music (I'm not sure).



But isn't نوبة a normal word in standard Arabic as well? More or less synonymous to مرّة? That's what I've learnt at least.

HTH
S


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## Hemza

Finland said:


> Hello!
> 
> But isn't نوبة a normal word in standard Arabic as well? More or less synonymous to مرّة? That's what I've learnt at least.
> HTH
> S



Yes, but I don't know what does it mean in standard Arabic. "marra"  means "a time", it's not used in the same way as "nuba" (at least, in  Moroccan). For example, in Moroccan:
-"qultlek alf marra" (I told you thousand times)
-"daba/fil7een, nubtek" (it's you turn now)


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## إسكندراني

Its derivatives are certainly peppered all over different dialects 
e.g. نوبتجية
Also i think it is used in egyptian in some contexts, though not as a general synonym for دور or مرة


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## Hemza

إسكندراني said:


> Its derivatives are certainly peppered all over different dialects
> e.g. نوبتجية
> Also i think it is used in egyptian in some contexts, though not as a general synonym for دور or مرة



I know that in Syria and Lebanon, they also play Andalusian music (not as much as Morocco or Algeria) so may be, that's why they say "bnub", I mean the word may comes from Andalusian music context and enter the dialect (like in Moroccan). It's just a hypothesis of course.


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