asef اسف
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“asef” (اسف) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning sorry, apologetic.
Meanings
- sorry, apologetic
- regretful
Usage
Asef, feminine asfa, means "sorry". It comes from Standard Arabic and is used mostly in a polite or slightly formal register: "ana asef", "I am sorry". In everyday life, Tunisians more often say "sam7ni", "forgive me", or simply "pardon", borrowed from French. Asef agrees with the person: asfa for a woman, asfin in the plural. It can be followed by an explanation: "asef, ma najjamtech nji", "sorry, I couldn't come".
Example
أسف، ما نجمتش نجي البارح.
asef, ma najjamtech nji el bare7.
“Sorry, I couldn't come yesterday.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “asef” but also “assef”, “aasef”, “asif” and “asfa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.