7afna حفنة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“7afna” (حفنة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning handful, what one hand holds.
Meanings
- handful, what one hand holds
- small amount
Usage
"7afna" refers to the amount you take in the hollow of one hand, or in two hands joined together. It is used for loose things: seeds, semolina, dried fruit, sugar, and also coins or gold in stories. The plural and the dual are common: "7afntin" (two handfuls). Figuratively, the word can mean a small quantity, sometimes with a disparaging nuance ("7afna mta3 flous"). It is built directly with the noun ("7afna louz") or with "mta3". The word is used in all registers, in the kitchen as well as in tales.
Example
زيد حفنة كسكسي في الطنجرة
zid 7afna kosksi fel tanjra
“Add a handful of couscous to the pot.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7afna” but also “hafna”, “7afnaa” and “hfna”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.