Question words in Tunisian Arabic
“Chnoua?”, “3lech?”, “kifech?” — what, why, how. Tunisian question words look nothing like Standard Arabic, and they open every conversation.
Each question word with franco pronunciation and a real everyday question to anchor it.
The words (27 words)
- No — laلا
- Question — su'elسؤال
- What — shnuwaشنوا
- Why — 3leshعلاش
- For what — l-chenyaلشنية
- Opinion — rayراي
- When — mataمتى
- Perhaps — za3maزعمة
- From where — mninمنين
- What is its name — ch-esmouشسمو
- Something / thing — chayشي
- What is there — chfamaشفما
- What are — chnoumaشنوما
- What do you think — ch9oulekشقولك
- Which one — anahiأناهي
- What did we do / what's the plan — ch-3malnaشعملنا
- Answer — jawebجاوب
- What does it mean? — ach ma3nehaآشمعناها
- Opinions — ara2آراء
- Ask — istafsarاستفسر
- Yo / hey / are you kidding? — behichiباهيشي
- Criticism — naqdنقد
- Inquire — ysaqsiيسقسي
- Clarify / seek clarification — istawda7استوضح
- Inquiry — istifsarإستفسار
- Question mark — noqtat istifhemنقطة إستفهام
- Mysteries — alghazألغاز
In franco, digits stand for Arabic sounds: 3 = ع, 7 = ح, 9 = ق.