7asra حسرة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“7asra” (حسرة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning regret, nostalgia.
Meanings
- regret, nostalgia
- sorrow, grief
Usage
7asra expresses regret for what is past or lost. It is most often used in the exclamation "ya 7asra", equivalent to "alas" or "those were the days". It is constructed with 3la: "ya 7asra 3la ayem zamen" (ah, the good old days), "ya 7asra 3leha" (what a pity for her). It can also express sorrowful compassion. The word belongs to everyday register and often appears in popular songs and on social media.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7asra” but also “hasra” and “7assra”. 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.