على طول

Hijazi Arabic

Etymology

From على (ʕala, “on”) +‎ طول (ṭūl, “forward, height”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕala tˤuːl/

Adverb

على طول • (ʕala ṭūl)

1. straight ahead

   Synonym: (obsolete) دُغري (duḡri)

   اَمْشِي عَلَى طول و حَتْلَاقِي المَحَل قُدَّامَك

   amši ʕala ṭūl u ḥatlāgi al-maḥal guddāmak

   go straight ahead and you will find the shop in front of you

2. always

   Synonyms: دايمًا (dāyman), طول الوقت (ṭūl al-wagt)

3. immediately

   !رُحت له عَلَى طول

   ruḥtallu ʕala ṭūl!

   I went to him immediately!

South Levantine Arabic

Alternative forms

• عطول (ʕa-ṭūl)

Etymology

From على (ʕala, “on”) +‎ طول (ṭūl, “length, height”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʕa.la tˤuːl/, [ˈʕɑ.lɑ tˤuːl]
• IPA^(key): /ʕa.tˤuːl/, [ʕɑˈtˤuːl]

• Audio (Ramallah)

  (file)

Adverb

على طول • (ʕala ṭūl)

1. at once, on the spot, then and there

   لازم يدفع على طول.

   lāzem yidfaʕ ʕala ṭūl

   He must pay at once.

   مات على طول.

   māt ʕala ṭūl

   He dropped dead on the spot.

2. forever, for good

   ترك شغله على طول.

   tarak šuġlo ʕala ṭūl

   He left his job for good.

See also

• طوالي (ṭawwāli, “straight away, at once”)
• حالا (ḥālan, “immediately, at once”)
• قوام (ʔawām, “at once, immediately, quickly”)