chbiha شبيها
Tunisian Derja · expression
“chbiha” (شبيها) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning what's wrong with her/it?.
Meanings
- what's wrong with her/it?
- what's happening to her/it?
Usage
Chbiha is a very common question, formed from chbih ("what's wrong with him") and the feminine suffix -ha. It is used for a female person or a feminine-gender object, such as the karhba (car) or the camera, when something seems off. It can stand alone ("Chbiha?") or be followed by the subject. The tone can be worried, annoyed or surprised. The form changes with the person: chbik (you), chbih (him), chbihom (them). An English speaker should remember that it asks about the state of the thing or person, not its identity, unlike "what is it?".
Example
شبيها الكرهبة ما حبّتش تدور؟
chbiha el karhba ma 7abbetch tdour?
“What's wrong with the car? Doesn't it want to start?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chbiha” but also “chbihe”, “shbiha” and “shebha”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.