chaf شاف
Moroccan Darija · verb
“chaf” (شاف) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to see.
Meanings
- to see
- to look, to take a look
- boss, chef (French loan)
Usage
Chaf is the basic verb for "to see". Past: chaf, chefti; present: kaychouf, "he sees"; imperative: chouf, "look". The imperative chouf also serves as a attention-getter or introducer, like "listen" or "look" in English: chouf, ana ma3reftch. The verb also covers "to look at" and "to check": chouf lia had lmouchkil, "have a look at this problem for me". There is a separate homograph, chef, borrowed from French, meaning "chief" or "boss", often used to address someone politely.
Example
بغيت نعرف شنو شاف
bghit ne3ref chnou chaf
“I want to know what he saw.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanchouf | cheft | |
| nta (you, m.) | katchouf | chfti | chouf |
| nti (you, f.) | katchoufi | chfti | choufi |
| howa (he) | kaychouf | chaf | |
| hiya (she) | katchouf | chaft | |
| 7na (we) | kanchoufo | chfna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katchoufo | chfto | choufo |
| homa (they) | kaychoufo | chafo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chaf” but also “chaaf”, “shaf”, “chef” and “chaff”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “chaf” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “to see, to catch sight of”; “to look, to have a look”: chaf in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to see”; “to look at, to watch”: chef in Tunisian.