Grammar words in Tunisian Arabic
“Ama”, “bech”, “fama” — these little words don't exist like this in Standard Arabic, yet they carry the whole Tunisian sentence. They're what gives away that someone learned the “wrong” Arabic.
Here are the particles and small words that keep Derja running — each with franco pronunciation and a model sentence.
The words (33 words)
- Yes — eyإي
- Or — awأو
- Not — mechمش
- With — m3aمع
- This — hadhaهذا
- Other — a5erآخر
- To be — kanكان
- But — amaلكن
- I / me — enaانا
- If — idhaإذا
- Like — kifكيف
- Therefore — lidhaلذا
- These — hadhomهذم
- We — a7naأحنا
- Because — 5atirخاتر
- There — ghadiغادي
- They — humaهوما
- A little — chwayaشوية
- Because of — bsbabبسبب
- Belonging to — tabe3تابع
- Generally — 3moumعموم
- Of / belonging to — dyalديال
- Quickly — fisa3فيسع
- Still / not yet — mazalمزال
- That one — hadhikهذيك
- Until — 7attachحتاش
- You — intiإنتي
- Everything — kol chayكل شي
- That — hadhakaهذاكا
- Allowed — masmou7مسموح
- English — angliأنقلي
- How much — b-9adechبقداش
- Is not — mahichماهيش
In franco, digits stand for Arabic sounds: 3 = ع, 7 = ح, 9 = ق.