yetfekker يتفكر
Algerian Darja · verb
“yetfekker” (يتفكر) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning to remember, to recall.
Meanings
- to remember, to recall
- to reminisce about
Usage
Yetfekker (past: tfekker) means "to remember". Pitfall for anyone who knows Standard Arabic: in darja, this verb does not mean "to think"; for "to think, to ponder", people rather say khemmem. The construction is direct ("yetfekker lyamat", "he remembers the old days") or with belli ("tfekkert belli...", "I remembered that..."). The verb is frequent for nostalgic talk about childhood, Ramadan or old songs. The opposite is nsa ("to forget"). The synonym 3qel is also heard with the same meaning.
Example
تفكرت بلي عندي رونديفو غدوة.
tfekkert belli 3andi rendez-vous ghodwa.
“I remembered that I have an appointment tomorrow.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “yetfekker” but also “yetfeker”, “yatfakar” and “yetfakar”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.