fte7 فتح
Tunisian Derja · verb
“fte7” (فتح) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to open.
Meanings
- to open
- to switch on
- to open (a business, an investigation)
Usage
The basic verb for "to open" is used both literally (door, window, box) and figuratively. It is conjugated fte7 / yefte7, imperative ifte7. It is also used for an appliance: "ifte7 ettalvza" means "turn on the TV". The expression "yefte7 allah" is a trap: it is a polite way to turn down a seller or a beggar, meaning "God will provide". The noun fat7, opening, appears in more formal phrases such as "fat7 te7qi9", the opening of an investigation. The passive participle is maftou7, open.
Example
ﻭلاﻮا ﺗﻔﺘﺢ ﻋﻘله تلاقي حمار صغير متمد
wlw tfta7 39lh tla9i 7mar sghir mtmadd
“Even if you opened his head, you'd find a little donkey lying down.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “fte7” but also “fta7”, “yefte7”, “ifte7” and “ftah”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.