n7seb نحساب
Tunisian Derja · verb
“n7seb” (نحساب) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning I think, I thought (wrongly).
Meanings
- I think, I thought (wrongly)
- I consider, I reckon
Usage
N7seb is the first person imperfect of 7seb, "to believe, to imagine." The word often expresses an assumption that turns out to be wrong. It is used mostly after kont: "kont n7seb…", "I thought that…". The negative form mekontech n7seb means "I would never have thought." The corresponding past is 7sebt, "I believed." The register is informal and common. Note that the verb expresses a personal impression, not a calculation, even though it shares its root with 7seb, "to count."
Example
كنت نحساب إنّك مسافر
kont n7seb innek msefer
“I thought you were away on a trip.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “n7seb” but also “n7sab”, “n7ceb”, “na7seb” and “n7assab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.