khref خرف
Tunisian Derja · verb
“khref” (خرف) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to become senile, lose one's mind.
Meanings
- to become senile, lose one's mind
- to talk nonsense, ramble
Usage
Khref (present "ykhref") is said first of an elderly person whose mind is declining. It is often heard in "mokhou khref" ("he is no longer all there"). By extension, it applies to someone who says absurd things, with a mocking or contemptuous nuance. The participle "mekhrouf" or the adjective "kharfen" refer to a person who rambles. Said about an older person who is present, the word can hurt, so it is mostly kept for joking or criticism. Do not confuse it with "khrif" (autumn) or "khrefa" (tale, story).
Example
جدّي كبر وخرف، ما عادش يعرف حدّ.
jeddi kber w khref, ma 3adech ya3ref 7ad.
“My grandfather has grown old and lost his mind, he no longer recognizes anyone.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khref” but also “khraf”, “5ref” and “kharef”. 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.