ttkhtef اتخطف
Moroccan Darija · verb
“ttkhtef” (اتخطف) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to be snatched, grabbed.
Meanings
- to be snatched, grabbed
- to be abducted, kidnapped
Usage
Ttkhtef is the passive of "khtef" (to snatch, grab suddenly). It is the usual term for a snatch-and-grab theft in the street: "ttkhtef lih l-portable" (his phone was snatched). The owner is introduced by "l-" followed by a pronoun: "ttkhtef liya", "ttkhtef liha". The verb is also used for the abduction of a person, for example a child. Figuratively, a product in high demand can be said to "kattkhtef", that is, to sell very fast. The register is neutral and everyday.
Example
تخطف ليه البورطابل فالطوبيس
ttkhtef lih l-portable f tobis
“His phone was snatched on the bus.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ttkhtef” but also “tkhtef”, “ttkhtf”, “t5tef” and “tt5tef”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.