chfer شفر
Moroccan Darija · verb
“chfer” (شفر) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to steal, to rob.
Meanings
- to steal, to rob
Usage
Chfer is the everyday verb for "to steal" in the sense of taking something that isn't yours. The present is kaychfer; the imperative is chfer. The person robbed is introduced with l- or liya, lik, etc.: chfer liya ttilifoun, "he stole my phone." The passive tchfer means "to be stolen": tchfrat liya lbeztam. The agent noun is chffar, "thief." For "to fly" in the sense of moving through the air, one says tar, which is unrelated to chfer.
Example
شفر ليا لبزطام
chfer liyya lbezTam
“He stole my wallet.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanchfer | chfert | |
| nta (you, m.) | katchfer | chferti | chfer |
| nti (you, f.) | katchfri | chferti | chfri |
| howa (he) | kaychfer | chfer | |
| hiya (she) | katchfer | chfrat | |
| 7na (we) | kanchfro | chfrna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katchfro | chfrto | chfro |
| homa (they) | kaychfro | chfro |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chfer” but also “chfr”, “chefer” and “chfar”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.