nfa3 نفع

Tunisian Derja · verb

“nfa3” (نفع) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to be useful, to serve.

Meanings

1. to be useful, to serve
2. to work, to be effective
3. benefit, utility

Usage

Nfa3 (imperfect ynfa3) means "to be useful", "to serve", and often "to work, to be effective". It is used mainly in the negative: ma ynfa3ch ("that's no use"), ma nfa3 fih chay ("nothing worked on it"). It takes a direct object of a person: nfa3ni, "it helped me, it was useful to me". It is said of a remedy, advice, a method or an effort. The noun naf3 ("profit, benefit") is rarer in speech, except in formulas of wish or piety.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “nfa3” but also “nefa3”, “ynfa3”, “nfe3” and “nfaa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.

Type “nfa3” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to be useful, to serve”; “to benefit, to do good to”: nfe3 in Moroccan.

In Algerian Darja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “to be useful, to serve a purpose”; “to benefit someone, do good”: nfa3 in Algerian.