ghir غير
Algerian Darja · adverb
“ghir” (غير) is an adverb in Algerian Darja meaning only, just.
Meanings
- only, just
- except, apart from
- as soon as, no sooner than
Usage
Ghir is one of the most frequent words in Darja. It first means "just, only": ghir chwiya (just a little), rani ghir nmazah (I'm just joking). Before a noun, it can also mean "except": koul chi ghir hada (everything except that). Before a verb, it expresses immediacy: ghir wsalt, tla3 (as soon as he arrived, he went up). It is often reinforced with berk: ghir hadi berk (only this one). Do not confuse it with the verb ghayyar (to change), which is written the same way in Arabic.
Example
راني غير نمزح معاك.
rani ghir nmazah m3ak.
“I'm just joking with you.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ghir” but also “rir”, “gher” and “ghire”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “ghir” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to change, to alter”; “to change clothes”: ghiyyer in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “without (men ghir)”; “except, apart from, only”: ghir in Tunisian.