chbech شبش
Tunisian Derja · expression
“chbech” (شبش) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning what is going to (happen).
Meanings
- what is going to (happen)
- what (someone) will do
Usage
Chbech is the spoken contraction of ch (what) and bech, the near-future particle: "what is going to", "what … will". Always followed by a verb in the imperfect: chbech ysir ? (what is going to happen?), chbech ta3mel ? (what are you going to do?). It is also used in indirect questions: ma na3rafch chbech ysir (I don't know what is going to happen). It is a spoken-register word, very frequent in conversation and on social media, rarer in careful writing, where the full form ach bech is found. Do not confuse it with chbik (what's wrong with you?).
Example
شبش تعمل غدوة؟
chbech ta3mel ghodwa ?
“What are you going to do tomorrow?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chbech” but also “chbach”, “shbesh”, “chbch” and “chbeech”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.