rachfa رشفة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“rachfa” (رشفة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning sip, small sip.
Meanings
- sip, small sip
Usage
Rachfa refers to a small sip, especially of coffee, tea or a hot drink consumed slowly. One says naʿmel rachfa ("I'll have a sip") or a3tini rachfa ("give me a sip"). The plural is rachfat. The corresponding verb is rchaf ("to sip"). The word is familiar and very common, notably in the invitation hat naʿmel rachfa, which suggests a quick coffee. It is not used for a large quantity; for drinking in one go, one says chrob instead.
Example
عطيني رشفة من الكاس متاعك
a3tini rachfa mel kes mte3ek
“Give me a sip from your glass.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “rachfa” but also “rashfa”, “rachfé” and “rachfaa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.