tfatta9 تفتق
Tunisian Derja · verb
“tfatta9” (تفتق) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to be awesome, to rock.
Meanings
- to be awesome, to rock
- to burst open, come unstitched
Usage
Literally, the verb evokes a seam giving way. Among young people, it is mostly used as a colloquial compliment, like the French "ça déchire" ("it rocks"). A song, a place, a performance or a person can be said to tfattaq. It is often reinforced by mouch normal ("unbelievable") or preceded by bravo. The register is spoken and casual, especially on social media. The form varies with the subject: yfattaq for the masculine, tfattaq for the feminine or when addressing someone. This verb should not be confused with fatq, which means a hernia.
Example
الغنية هاذي تفتق
el ghnaya hedhi tfattaq
“This song rocks.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tfatta9” but also “tfattaq”, “tfate9”, “tfetteq” and “tfat9”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.