chems شمس
Algerian Darja · noun
“chems” (شمس) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning sun.
Meanings
- sun
- sunshine, heat of the sun
Usage
Chems means the sun. The word is feminine, which is a pitfall for an English speaker: one says chems tal3a, "the sun rises", and not a masculine form. It also refers to sunshine and heat: 9a3ed f'chems, "sitting in the sun", or cheft chems, "it is sunny". Ghroub chems is used for sunset. The word appears in names such as Chems Eddine. To express a heatwave, people often say chems sakhna bezzaf.
Example
اليوم الشمس سخونة بزاف
lyoum chems s5ouna bezzaf
“Today the sun is very hot.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chems” but also “chams”, “shams”, “chmes” and “chemss”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “chems” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “sun”; “sunshine, heat of the sun”: chems in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “sun”; “sunlight, heat of the sun”: chams in Tunisian.