How to say “what” in Darija
In Moroccan, you say “ach” and “chno”; in Algerian, “wach”, “awah”, “cha” and “wech”; in Tunisian, “ach”, “chnowa”, “chnia”, “achen”, “chniya”, “achnouwa”, “chnouwa”, “chnhouwa”, “chnhouma” and “chnehi”.
In Moroccan Darija
ach أش
A pronoun meaning “what (interrogative)”; “which (before a noun)”.
آش كا دير: “What are you doing?”
chno شنو
A pronoun meaning “what”; “which, what kind of”; “what?”.
شنو وقع ليك؟: “What happened to you?”
In Algerian Darja
wach واش
A pronoun meaning “what”; “is it that (yes/no question)”; “hi! hey! (casual call)”.
واش راك تدير؟: “What are you doing?”
awah اوااااااااااااه
An interjection meaning “exclamation of surprise or disbelief”; “sign of annoyance”.
أوااه، واش راك تقول؟: “What?! What are you saying?”
cha شا شتا
A pronoun meaning “what? what is it that?”.
شتا بغيت تاكل؟: “What do you want to eat?”
wech واش اش
A pronoun meaning “what, what is”; “question particle (yes/no)”; “hey (greeting)”.
In Tunisian Derja
ach اش
A pronoun meaning “what (interrogative)”; “what (in a subordinate clause)”.
آش تحب تاكل؟: “What do you want to eat?”
chnowa شنوا
A pronoun meaning “what”; “which, what (before a noun)”; “what is”.
شنوّة تحبّ تاكل اليوم؟: “What do you want to eat today?”
chnia شنيا
A pronoun meaning “what”; “which, what (before a noun)”; “which, what kind of”.
شنيا صار؟: “What happened?”
achen اشن
A pronoun meaning “what (interrogative)”; “which, what (before a noun)”.
اشن أحوالك اليوم؟: “How are you today?”
chniya اشنية
A pronoun meaning “what”; “which, what (before a noun)”.
اشنية صار البارح؟: “What happened yesterday?”
achnouwa اشنوة
A pronoun meaning “what, what is it that”; “which (before a noun)”.
اشنوة صار البارح؟: “What happened yesterday?”
chnouwa اشنو
A pronoun meaning “what”; “which, what (before a noun)”.
أشنو حكاية، علاش الباب مسكر؟: “What's going on, why is the door closed?”
chnhouwa شنهوة
A pronoun meaning “what (masculine)”; “what (subject)”.
chnhouma شنهومة
A pronoun meaning “what, what things (plural)”.
شنهوما الحاجات اللي لازمك؟: “What are the things you need?”
chnehi شنهية
A pronoun meaning “what, what is it (feminine)”; “what (neutral form)”.