How to say “only” in Darija
In Algerian, you say “ghir”, “berk”, “ghi” and “wa7id”; in Tunisian, “barka”, “wa7id” and “bark”.
In Algerian Darja
ghir غير
An adverb meaning “only, just”; “except, apart from”; “as soon as, no sooner than”.
راني غير نمزح معاك.: “I'm just joking with you.”
berk برك
An adverb meaning “only, just”; “that's all, period”.
عندي عشرين دينار برك: “I only have twenty dinars.”
ghi غ
A particle meaning “only, just”; “except, apart from”.
نحب غ شوية سكر: “I just want a little sugar.”
wa7id وحيد
An adjective meaning “only, the sole one”; “only child”; “alone, isolated”.
هو ولد وحيد عند يماه: “He is his mother's only son.”
In Tunisian Derja
barka بركا
An adverb meaning “only, just”; “enough, stop”.
في تونس بركا تلقى \" مهبول \" يحكي فال الواقع: “Only in Tunisia will you find a "madman" who tells it like it is.”
wa7id وحيد
An adjective meaning “only, sole (the one of its kind)”; “alone, isolated”.
هو الولد الوحيد في العايلة: “He is the only boy in the family.”
bark برك
An adverb meaning “only, just”; “that's all, enough”.
نحب قهوة برك: “I just want a coffee.”