chfama شفما
Tunisian Derja · expression
“chfama” (شفما) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning what is there?.
Meanings
- what is there?
- what's new?
Usage
Chfama is the contraction of ach famma, "what is there". It is used to ask what there is in a place or on a programme (chfama lyoum fil cinéma?, "what's on at the cinema today?"), or to ask what is going on. On its own, chfama? can also mean "what's going on?", or even "what's up?" depending on the intonation. The register is informal and very common in speech. Do not confuse chfama with chnoua, "what", which asks about the nature of a thing.
Example
شفما في التلفزة الليلة؟
chfama fi ttalfza lila?
“What's on TV tonight?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chfama” but also “chfamma”, “achfama”, “shfama” and “chfema”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.