a9sa أقصى
Moroccan Darija · adjective
“a9sa” (أقصى) is an adjective in Moroccan Darija meaning at worst, at most (a9sa ma).
Meanings
- at worst, at most (a9sa ma)
- extreme, maximum
Usage
In conversation, a9sa is almost always used in the construction a9sa ma, followed by a verb: a9sa ma yw9e3 ("the worst that can happen"), a9sa ma ndir ("the most I can do"). It is used to put a situation in perspective or to set a limit. It is often introduced by rah, which gives it a reassuring or resigned tone. Outside this construction, a9sa ("extreme", "maximal") belongs to a more formal register: l-7add l-a9sa ("the maximum limit"). It is not an ordinary comparative.
Example
راه أقصى مايوقع تمشي دير عملية
rah a9saa mayw9e3 tmchi dir 3amaliya
“At worst, you'll have to go and have an operation.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “a9sa” but also “a9saa” and “aqsa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.