chems شمس
Moroccan Darija · noun
“chems” (شمس) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning sun.
Meanings
- sun
- sunshine, heat of the sun
Usage
Chems is a feminine noun: one says chems tal3a (the sun has risen) and chems ghrbat (the sun has set). It is also used to talk about the weather: kayna chems, i.e. "it's sunny". The word appears in several expressions, including a very well-known proverb: you can't hide the sun with a sieve, meaning you can't deny the obvious. Pronunciation varies by region, and chemch is sometimes heard. The word belongs to the everyday register.
Example
تعطلي بزّاف باش تخبا على شمس
t3etli bezzaf bach tkheba 3la chmess
“You waited too long to take cover from the sun.”
Forms
| plural | chmocha |
|---|
Forms as recorded in DODa, in its spelling.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chems” but also “chms” and “chamss”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “chems” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “sun”; “sunshine, heat of the sun”: chems in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “sun”; “sunlight, heat of the sun”: chams in Tunisian.