3acher عاشر
Tunisian Derja · verb
“3acher” (عاشر) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to associate with, keep company with someone.
Meanings
- to associate with, keep company with someone
- to live with someone for a long time
Usage
3acher is used for people you regularly spend time with: friends, neighbors, colleagues, a spouse. It implies lasting closeness, not a casual encounter. It is often heard in advice and warnings, like "ma t3achrouch", "don't keep company with him". The corresponding noun, 3achra, refers to shared life or a long-standing relationship, often with a sense of loyalty: "3achra twila", "a long companionship". The proverb "man 3acha 9awman sara minhom" is well known in Tunisia, but it is in classical Arabic. For an English speaker, the meaning is stronger and more emotionally charged than a neutral use of "keep company with".
Example
عاشرتو سنين و ما عرفتوش
3achartou snin w ma 3raftouch
“I kept company with him for years without really knowing him.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3acher” but also “aacher” and “3ashir”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.