Djalë

Djalë is a masculine noun in Albanian that means either “boy” or “son,” depending on the context. It denotes a male child or a male offspring and is used across everyday speech, literature, and family references. The indefinite singular form is djalë, the definite singular is djali, the plural is djem, and the definite plural is djemtë. The word combines with possessive pronouns to form phrases such as djali im (my son) and djali yt (your son), with adjectives agreeing in gender and number, as in djalë i ri (a young boy).

Etymology and classification: Djalë is a native Albanian term and a basic lexical item in the language’s vocabulary for describing male children and male descendants. Its precise historical origin is not definitively settled, but it is widely treated as a core word in Albanian, used in both colloquial and formal registers.

Usage and context: In modern Albanian, djalë appears in a broad range of contexts—from everyday sentences to names in folklore. It can describe characteristics of a boy, as in djalë i fortë (a strong boy), or function in genealogical references, as in the son of a named person. The word also features in common expressions and idioms that relate to family relations, upbringing, and social roles, remaining a neutral and frequently used term in the language.