chwa شوى

Moroccan Darija · verb

“chwa” (شوى) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to grill, to roast.

Meanings

1. to grill, to roast
2. grilled food, barbecue

Usage

Chwa, ychwi means "to grill" or "to roast" over embers or fire. It is used for meat, fish, corn or peppers. The conjugation follows the pattern of verbs with a weak final letter: chwit (I grilled), kanchwi (I grill). The participle mechwi refers to roasted meat, notably mechoui. Used as a noun, chwa means a grill or a barbecue: "ndir chwa" means "to do some grilling." Be careful not to confuse it with chwiya, "a little," despite the similar Latin spellings.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chwa” but also “chwi”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “chwa” on the Arabic keyboard

In Tunisian Derja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to grill, to roast”; “to scorch, to burn”: chwa in Tunisian.