ne7ya ناحية
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ne7ya” (ناحية) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning side, direction.
Meanings
- side, direction
- in terms of
- around, near
Usage
Ne7ya means "side" in the spatial sense: "men ne7yet el b7ar" (from the sea side). It is also used to locate a place approximately: "ne7yet sfax" (around Sfax). The phrase "men ne7ya" introduces a point of view: "men ne7yet el soum" (price-wise), "men ne7ya, … w men ne7ya okhra…" (on one hand…, on the other…). Before a noun, ne7ya becomes ne7yet. The word is common and neutral; the plural nwe7i means "surroundings, outskirts".
Example
من ناحية السوم باهي، أما الجودة لا.
men ne7yet essoum behi, ama el jawda le.
“Price-wise it's good, but quality, no.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ne7ya” but also “na7ya”, “ne7yet”, “na7ia”, “nehya” and “nahia”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find ناحية and ناحيه, all the same word.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.