7wija حويجة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“7wija” (حويجة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning little thing, small item.
Meanings
- little thing, small item
- (negated) nothing at all
- small sum, tip
Usage
Hwija is the diminutive of 7aja, "thing". It refers to a small thing, a small object or a small favour, often in a casual or affectionate tone: "jibtlek hwija", "I brought you a little something". With a negation, it reinforces the idea of "nothing at all": "ma fhemt hwija", "I didn't understand anything". The diminutive can also be used to politely downplay a request or a gift. Do not confuse it with 7wayej, the plural of 7aja, which means "belongings, clothes".
Example
جبتلك حويجة من السفر.
jibtlek 7wija mel safra.
“I brought you a little something from the trip.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “7wija” but also “hwija”, “7wijja”, “hwiyja”, “7wiija” and “hwijja”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find حويجة and حويجه, all the same word.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.
Type “7wija” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “little thing, small item”; “small gift or treat”: 7wiyja in Moroccan.