khaff خف
Tunisian Derja · verb
“khaff” (خف) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to lighten, diminish.
Meanings
- to lighten, diminish
- to subside (pain, fever)
Usage
Khaff is used when something becomes lighter or less intense. It is often used for pain, illness, rain, traffic or workload: el-wje3 khaff, "the pain has subsided". It is an intransitive verb. To say "to lighten something" or "to hurry up", use the derived form khaffef. The corresponding adjective is khfif, "light", which can also describe a pleasant or quick person. Do not confuse khaff with khaf, "to be afraid", which sounds similar but is written with a long vowel.
Example
الحمد لله، الوجع خفّ شوية
el7amdoulillah, el wje3 khaff chwaya
“Thank God, the pain has eased a little.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khaff” but also “5aff”, “khaf” and “5af”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.