chffar شفار
Moroccan Darija · noun
“chffar” (شفار) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning thief.
Meanings
- thief
- eyelashes
Usage
Chffar, with a doubled f, is the common word for "thief". The feminine is chffara and the plural is chffara or chffarin. It is also used figuratively for someone who cheats people or overcharges: had l7anout chffar! Do not confuse it with chfar, without the doubling, which means eyelashes (chfar l3in). The difference lies in the length of the consonant, which is rarely marked in writing, but context almost always resolves the ambiguity. Calling someone chffar remains a direct accusation.
Example
هاداك راه شفار
8adak rah cheffar
“That one is a thief.”
Forms
| feminine | chffara |
|---|---|
| plural | chffara |
| feminine plural | chffarat |
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 “chffar” but also “cheffar”, “chfar”, “chefar” and “chaffar”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.