arwah ارواح
Algerian Darja · verb
“arwah” (ارواح) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning come (imperative).
Meanings
- come (imperative)
- come here, come closer
Usage
Arwah is the imperative "come" in Algerian Darja. It is used to call someone or invite them to come towards you. It changes according to the person addressed: arwahi for a woman, arwahou for several people. It is often used with a place or a time: arwah lhna (come here), arwah 3la lhdach (come around eleven o'clock). It exists only in the imperative: to say "he comes", another verb is used, ja / yji. The register is informal and neutral. Be careful not to confuse it with rouh, which means "go".
Example
أرواح لهنا نوريك حاجة
arwah lhna nwarik haja
“Come here, I'll show you something.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “arwah” but also “arwa7”, “aroua7”, “arwah7” and “arouah”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.