ochte7 اشطح
Algerian Darja · verb
“ochte7” (اشطح) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning dance! (imperative of "to dance").
Meanings
- dance! (imperative of "to dance")
- I dance (1st person)
Usage
Ochte7 is the imperative of the verb chte7, "to dance", widely used in Algeria, especially in the East. It is heard at parties and weddings, often repeated to encourage someone to get up and dance. The feminine is ochet7i, and the plural is ochet7o. Depending on pronunciation, the same spelling can also correspond to nochte7, "I dance". The verbal noun is che7 or cht7a, and chetta7 means a good dancer. The register is informal and warm, with no negative connotation.
Example
قوم أشطح، راهي العرس!
goum ochte7, rahi l3ers!
“Get up and dance, it's the wedding!”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ochte7” but also “achtah”, “ashtah”, “oshtah” and “chte7”. 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.