lach لاش
Moroccan Darija · adverb
“lach” (لاش) is an adverb in Moroccan Darija meaning why.
Meanings
- why
- for what, what for
- no reason to (makayn lach)
Usage
Lach, formed from l- ("for") and ach ("what"), means "why" or "for what". The form 3lach is more widespread for "why", but lach is common, especially repeated for emphasis: lach a sidi lach? It is also used in the sense of "what for": lach kayseल7 hada? ("what is this for?"). The most frequent construction is makayn lach + verb, "there is no reason to" or "no need to": makayn lach tkhaf. In reply to thanks, makayn lach is equivalent to "you're welcome" (literally "there's nothing to thank for").
Example
مكاين لاش تخاف
makayn lach tkhaf
“There's no reason to be afraid.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “lach” but also “lash”, “lech” and “l'ach”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “lach” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “why”; “what for”: lech in Tunisian.