makech ماكش
Tunisian Derja · particle
“makech” (ماكش) is a particle in Tunisian Derja meaning you are not.
Meanings
- you are not
- you don't (before participle)
Usage
Makech is the negation of the second person singular, formed on ma… ch with the pronoun. It is used before an adjective, a noun or a participle: makech fehem (you don't understand), makech mouleze (you are not obliged). In common usage, the same form serves for masculine and feminine, but some regions say makich in the feminine. The other persons are manich (I am not), mahouch (he is not), mahich (she is not). Pitfall: before a conjugated verb, makech is not used; instead ma… ch goes around the verb: ma t7ebech.
Example
ماكش فاهم آش نقول؟
makech fehem ech n9oul?
“Don't you understand what I'm saying?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “makech” but also “makch”, “mekech”, “makesh” and “makish”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.