bka بكى
Tunisian Derja · verb
“bka” (بكى) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to cry, to shed tears.
Meanings
- to cry, to shed tears
- to mourn someone, grieve a loss
Usage
Bka is the usual verb for "to cry". It is conjugated bkit (I cried), bkat (she cried), yebki or ybki (he cries). The negation wraps around the verb: ma bkitch (I didn't cry). The cause is introduced with 3la: bka 3la (to cry over, to mourn the loss of), or with min: bka mel fer7a (to cry for joy). The causative bakka means "to make cry". Ybakki is also used figuratively for something distressing or pitiful: chey ybakki (it's enough to make you cry). The expression chka w bka describes someone who complains constantly.
Example
ما بكيتش على فراقهم اما بكيت خاطر حبّيتهم
Mé bkitéch 3ala fré9hom ama bkit 5ater 7abithom
“I didn't cry over their parting, I cried because I loved them.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bka” but also “bkit”, “ybki”, “yebki” and “bké”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.