saffa صفى

Tunisian Derja · verb

“saffa” (صفى) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to liquidate, eliminate (opponents).

Meanings

1. to liquidate, eliminate (opponents)
2. to settle (an account)
3. to filter, clarify

Usage

Saffa (with doubling of the consonant f) literally means to purify or filter. It has taken on several derived senses. In politics, it means to eliminate or neutralize opponents: "saffa khsoumou". In everyday life, it means to settle a matter or an account: "saffa el 7seb" (settle the account), including in the figurative sense of settling scores with someone. It can also refer to filtering a liquid. In writing, the spelling صفى does not distinguish these senses, which only context can disambiguate. The present tense is ysaffi.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “saffa” but also “safa”, “saffe” and “sfa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “saffa” on the Arabic keyboard