twa7chtek توحشتك
Algerian Darja · expression
“twa7chtek” (توحشتك) is an expression in Algerian Darja meaning I miss you.
Meanings
- I miss you
Usage
Conjugated form of the verb "twaḥḥech" (to long for someone) with the pronoun "-ek". Literally: "I have longed for you". Note that the order is the reverse of English: in darja, the person who feels the absence is the subject. It is very common among close ones, in families, among friends, and in comments addressed to public figures one follows. It is readily strengthened with "bezzaf" (a lot). It changes with the person: "twaḥḥechtkoum" for several people, "twaḥḥechtha" for a woman.
Example
توحشتك بزاف يا خويا، وقتاش ترجع؟
twa7chtek bezzaf ya khouya, waqtach terja3?
“I miss you a lot, brother, when are you coming back?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “twa7chtek” but also “toua7chtek”, “twahchtek”, “twe7chtek” and “tewa7chtek”. 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.