bchwaya بشوية
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“bchwaya” (بشوية) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning slowly, gently.
Meanings
- slowly, gently
- with a little (of)
- carefully
Usage
Formed from b- ("with") and chwaya ("a little"), b chwaya first means "slowly, without rushing": "emchi b chwaya", walk slowly. Followed by a noun, it means "with a little". This is very common when ordering: "9ahwa b chwaya sokkor", a coffee with a little sugar. At the market, it is also used to ask for a small quantity. Doubled, b chwaya b chwaya means "little by little". Do not confuse it with chwaya on its own, which means "a little".
Example
سوق بشوية، الثنية فيها برشا كيّاسات
sou9 b chwaya, e-thniya fiha barcha kiyasat
“Drive slowly, the road is full of speed bumps.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bchwaya” but also “bechwaya” and “bichwaya”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “bchwaya” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “slowly, gently”; “carefully”: bchwiya in Moroccan.
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “slowly, gently”; “carefully”: bchwiya in Algerian.