hika هيكا
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“hika” (هيكا) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning like this, in this way.
Meanings
- like this, in this way
- thus, as is
Usage
Hika is a spelling and pronunciation of hakka, the Tunisian adverb meaning "like this", "in this way". It is used to point to a way of doing something or a state of affairs, often accompanied by a gesture: "a3mel hika" (do it like this). Placed after a verb, it also indicates that something happened or appears just as it is: "jet hika" (it came just like that). The register is informal and everyday. The difficulty is mainly one of spelling: the same word is written online as hakka, hekka or hika depending on regional pronunciation and individual habits.
Example
اعمل هيكا، موش كيما قلتلك قبل
a3mel hika, mouch kima 9oltlek 9bal
“Do it like this, not like I told you before.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “hika” but also “heka”, “hikka”, “hakka” and “hekka”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.