kifech كيفاش
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“kifech” (كيفاش) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning how, in what way.
Meanings
- how, in what way
- how come? (astonishment)
- how (indirect question)
Usage
Kifech is the usual interrogative for "how". It opens a direct question (kifech jit?, "how did you come?") or an indirect question (ma n3arfech kifech, "I don't know how"). Used alone, with a rising intonation, it expresses surprise or indignation: "what do you mean?". It is also found at the start of a question asking for an explanation, which sometimes brings it close to "why" or "how is it that". A shorter variant, kifeh, is also heard. It is not used for "how are you", which is chnoua 7welek or labes?
Example
كيفاش ننجّموا نتحصّلوا عليك ؟
Kifech enajmou nt7aslou 3lik ?
“How can we reach you?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kifech” but also “kifach”, “kifesh”, “kifch” and “kifèch”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find كيفاش and كفاش, all the same word.
Type “kifech” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “how (question)”; “how come, why”: kifach in Moroccan.
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “how (interrogative)”; “how come? why on earth?”: kifach in Algerian.