7efyen حفيان
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“7efyen” (حفيان) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning barefoot, shoeless.
Meanings
- barefoot, shoeless
- very poor, destitute
Usage
7afyen describes someone who walks without shoes, as in the very common construction "ymchi 7afyen" (to walk barefoot). The feminine is 7afya. Figuratively, the image of the barefoot child or peasant evokes extreme poverty and the hardship of country life. It is often heard in talk about marginalized regions. The word is an adjective that agrees with the subject, unlike the English adverbial phrase "barefoot" or "with bare feet".
Example
الصغير خرج حفيان للشارع
esghir khraj 7afyen lel char3
“The little one went out into the street barefoot.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7efyen” but also “7afyen”, “hafyen” and “7afyan”. 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.