lhaf لحاف
Algerian Darja · noun
“lhaf” (لحاف) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning thick blanket, quilt.
Meanings
- thick blanket, quilt
- bed comforter
Usage
Lhaf means the thick blanket put on the bed, especially in winter. The word is common throughout Algeria and used daily at home. It is heard in sentences such as "ghetti rouhek b lhaf" (cover yourself with the blanket) or "jib lhaf men el khzana" (bring the blanket from the cupboard). It covers both the ordinary blanket and the duvet. It can be confused with "mlaya" or "ezar", which refer more to a sheet or a wrap. With the article, it is often pronounced "llhaf".
Example
البرد بزاف، جيبلي لحاف آخر
lebred bezzaf, jibli lhaf akhor
“It's very cold, bring me another blanket.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “lhaf” but also “llhaf”, “l7af”, “le7af” and “lehaf”. 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.