lef لف
Tunisian Derja · verb
“lef” (لف) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to wrap, wrap up.
Meanings
- to wrap, wrap up
- to roll (in flour, etc.)
- to turn, go around
Usage
The verb lef first means "to wrap": it is used for a gift, a sandwich or a child in a blanket. In cooking, it means to "roll" a ball or dough, or to coat it in flour or starch. It can also mean "to turn" or "to take a detour": lef 3al jnab, "go around by the side". Figuratively, lef w dour describes someone who beats around the bush. The present tense is ylef. The passive form is tlef.
Example
و تقسّمها 9 كعبورات قد قد تلفّهم مليح في نشا
w t9asamha 9 ka3bourat 9ad 9ad tlefhom mli7 fi ncha
“And divide it into 9 equal-sized balls and roll them well in starch.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “lef” but also “laf”, “leff” and “laff”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.