tafi طافي
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“tafi” (طافي) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning off (light, device, fire).
Meanings
- off (light, device, fire)
- dull, faded (colour)
- lifeless, listless
Usage
Tafi is the participle of tfa, "to go out, switch off". It applies to a lamp, a phone, a television, an engine or a fire: "ettilifoun tafi", the phone is off. For a colour, make-up or decoration, it means dull, muted, lacking brightness. It is also used for a person who is tired or lacks energy. The feminine is tafya and the plural is tafyin. The opposite is cha3el, "on, lit". The register is everyday and informal.
Example
عيّطتلك برشا، تليفونك كان طافي.
3ayattlek barcha, tilifounek ken tafi.
“I called you many times, your phone was off.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tafi” but also “tafy”, “tefi” and “taafi”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.