7far حفر
Tunisian Derja · verb
“7far” (حفر) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to dig (earth, a hole).
Meanings
- to dig (earth, a hole)
- to dig into, probe deeply
Usage
7far, imperfect ya7fer and imperative a7fer, means to dig: a hole, a trench, the foundations (7far es-sés), a well. Figuratively, it is used for someone who digs into another person's past or searches for the hidden details of a matter: 9a3d ya7fer fih. The expression 7far lou ("he dug [a trap] for him") evokes setting a trap or plotting against someone. The action noun is 7far or 7fir. A hole is called 7ofra.
Example
حفرو الساس متاع الدار
7farou es-sés mta3 eddar
“They dug the foundations of the house.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7far” but also “a7fer”, “7fer”, “hfar” and “ya7fer”. 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.
Type “7far” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to dig (earth, a hole)”; “to dig into, investigate”: 7fer in Moroccan.