3ayech عايش
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“3ayech” (عايش) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning living (somewhere, in some way).
Meanings
- living (somewhere, in some way)
- alive
Usage
3ayech is the active participle of "to live". It is used as a present or a state: "3ayech fi fransa" (he lives in France), "kifech 3ayech?" (how are you living?). It agrees in gender and number: 3aycha in the feminine, 3aychin in the plural. It also means "alive": "mazel 3ayech" (he is still alive). It appears in vivid expressions such as "3ayech fi rou3b / fil hamm" (he lives in fear / in worry). As a greeting, "3aychek" means "thank you", literally "may He keep you alive". Do not confuse this form with 3ayech.
Example
هاذكم حل الزوالي كيفاه عايش فال فقير ,
8adhkom 7al ezawwèli kifeh 3ayich fil fa9ir ,
“This is how the poor man is doing: see how he lives in poverty.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3ayech” but also “3ayich”, “aayech”, “3aych” and “ayech”. 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.