t3ich تعيش
Tunisian Derja · verb
“t3ich” (تعيش) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning you live / she lives.
Meanings
- you live / she lives
- to get by, make a living
Usage
T3ich is the verb 3ach ("to live") conjugated in the imperfect, in the second person singular or the third person feminine. It covers "to live somewhere" (t3ich fi Tounes) as well as "to get by": bech t3ich, "to make a living". With m3a, it means "to live with someone", including as a couple. The same verb is found in y3ichek, the common way of saying "thank you" (literally "may he keep you alive"). These polite formulas should not be confused with the basic meaning.
Example
تعيش وحدك ولا مع عايلتك؟
t3ich wa7dek wala m3a 3ayeltek?
“Do you live alone or with your family?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “t3ich” but also “t3ish”, “ta3ich”, “t3eech” and “t3ch”. 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.