7fadh حفظ
Tunisian Derja · verb
“7fadh” (حفظ) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning protect, preserve (especially God).
Meanings
- protect, preserve (especially God)
- memorize
- keep, store
Usage
7fadh has two very common uses. The first is in protective formulas: rabbi ya7fdhek, "may God protect you", and rabbi ya7fadh tounes. These formulas are used to thank, to greet or to express affection. The second sense is "to memorize": 7fadht ed-dars, "I learned the lesson by heart". It is used a lot for school and the Quran. The present tense is na7fadh, ya7fadh. Note: "to learn" in the sense of understanding is usually t3allem. 7fadh, by contrast, stresses word-for-word memorization.
Example
تونس الكلنا نحبّوها و ربّي يحفظها لنا ,
tounes lkolna n7abbou8a w rabby ya7fed8a lina ,
“Tunisia, we all love her, and may God preserve her for us.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7fadh” but also “7fedh”. 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.