mcha مشا

Algerian Darja · verb

“mcha” (مشا) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning to leave, go away.

Meanings

1. to leave, go away
2. to go (somewhere)
3. to be lost, gone

Usage

Mcha is the usual verb for "to leave" or "to go" in the perfective: mcha l'khedma, "he left for work". Conjugation: mchit, mcha, mchat, mchaw. In the imperfective, yrouḥ (nrouḥ, trouḥ) is mostly used rather than yemchi, which keeps more of the sense of "to walk". Mcha can indicate that something is lost: mchaw drahem, "the money is gone". In online writing, the spelling مشا is sometimes used to transcribe mā chā' Allāh: the two should not be confused.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mcha” but also “mchaa”, “msha”, “mchat” and “mchit”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “mcha” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to go, go away”; “to leave, disappear”: mcha in Moroccan.

In Tunisian Derja

The same word also exists in Tunisian Derja, written مشى, where it means “to go, head to”; “to leave, go away”: mcha in Tunisian.