khalas

Khalas is a transliteration of the Arabic word خلاص, which broadly means “done,” “finished,” or “enough.” It derives from the Arabic root خ-ل-ص, and in everyday usage it conveys a sense of completion, cessation, or dismissal of further discussion or action.

In use, khalas functions as both a verb form and an interjection. As a standalone interjection, it is commonly spoken to signal that something should stop or that no more needs to be said, as in “Khalas!” meaning “Stop!” or “That’s it!” It can also appear in phrases indicating completion or resolution. In many dialects across the Arab world, including Gulf, Levantine, Egyptian, and North African varieties, khalas is widely understood and frequently spoken in informal conversations.

The word is typically written without diacritics in transliterations and can appear as khalas, khalāṣ, or khalaas, depending on regional pronunciation and transcription. While its literal sense is related to finishing, its pragmatic meaning in conversation is often broader, signaling impatience, finality, or a concluded matter. It is rarely used in formal writing, where more explicit phrases for finishing or stopping would be preferred.

Khalas has also made its way into popular culture as a recognizable Arabic interjection outside the Arab world, frequently encountered in media, memes, and everyday bilingual speech to convey a decisive end to a discussion or situation.