hedhaya هاذاية
Tunisian Derja · pronoun
“hedhaya” (هاذاية) is a pronoun in Tunisian Derja meaning this, that (thing mentioned).
Meanings
- this, that (thing mentioned)
- this one (masculine, emphatic)
- this, that (after the noun)
Usage
Hedhaya is an emphatic form of the masculine demonstrative hedha ("this, this one"). It is used mostly on its own, as a pronoun, to point to something shown or just mentioned. It can also be placed after the noun: ech-chey hedhaya ("that thing"). It often marks emphasis or picks up an idea again: hedhaya elli nheb ("that's what I want"). The feminine counterpart is hedhiya. The register is informal and common, in speech as well as in sports commentary. For an English speaker, note that hedhaya does not come before the noun like "this" in English; in that position, one says hedha or the prefix ha-.
Example
هاذاية الكل لازمنا نحضروه قبل الغدوة.
hedhaya lkol lezemna n7adhrouh 9bal ghodwa.
“We have to prepare all of this before tomorrow.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “hedhaya” but also “hadhaya”, “hedheya” and “hadaya”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find هاذاية and هذاية, all the same word.