khouf خوف
Algerian Darja · noun
“khouf” (خوف) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning fear, dread.
Meanings
- fear, dread
- fear of God (khouf rabbi)
Usage
Khouf refers to fear in general. It is often used in phrases like fih el-khouf, "he is afraid, he is timid", or qessa ta3 khouf, "a scary story". The expression khouf rabbi, "fear of God", is used to describe an honest and scrupulous person. To say "I'm afraid", the verb is used instead: rani khayef or nkhaf. The verb khle3, "to be scared, to start", and the noun khal3a, "fright", are very common in daily life for a sudden scare.
Example
ولدي فيه الخوف، ما يرقدش وحدو.
weldi fih l5ouf, ma yor9odch wa7dou.
“My son is timid, he doesn't sleep alone.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khouf” but also “5ouf”, “khof”, “khawf” and “5of”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.
Type “khouf” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “fear, dread”: khouf in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “fear, dread”: 5ouf in Tunisian.