mcha مشى
Tunisian Derja · verb
“mcha” (مشى) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to go, head to.
Meanings
- to go, head to
- to leave, go away
- to work, function
Usage
Mcha is the usual verb for “to go” in Tunisia. It takes the preposition l-: “mcha lil 5edma” (he went to work). The imperfect is yemchi, the imperative emchi. Used with no complement, it means “to leave”: “mcha” (he left). It can also mean “to disappear” or “to be lost”: “mchet el flous” (the money is gone). Finally, it is used for a device or a business that works: “el karhba ma temchich” (the car doesn't work). Pitfall: mcha does not mean “to walk”. Say “mcha 3la sa9ih” instead.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mcha” but also “mche”, “mchaa”, “mshe” and “mchè”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find مشى and مشا, all the same word.
Type “mcha” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
The same word also exists in Moroccan Darija, written مشا, where it means “to go, go away”; “to leave, disappear”: mcha in Moroccan.
In Algerian Darja
The same word also exists in Algerian Darja, written مشا, where it means “to leave, go away”; “to go (somewhere)”: mcha in Algerian.