tahanna تهنى
Tunisian Derja · expression
“tahanna” (تهنى) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning don't worry, rest assured.
Meanings
- don't worry, rest assured
- be at ease
Usage
Tahanna is a fixed imperative, very frequent in speech, used to reassure someone: "be at ease, there's no problem". It is often placed at the start of a sentence before a promise or an assertion (tahanna, ma ysir chay = rest assured, nothing will happen). In the plural, one says tahannaw. It should not be confused with hanni-ni / ma thannini-ch, from the same family, which mean "leave me alone, give me some peace", nor with the courtesy formula ythanni-k. The tone is familiar and warm.
Example
تهنّى، توّا نجيبهولك غدوة
tahanna, tawwa njibhoulek ghodwa
“Don't worry, I'll bring it to you tomorrow.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tahanna” but also “tehna”, “tahna” and “tahanné”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.