tsalef تسلف
Tunisian Derja · verb
“tsalef” (تسلف) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to borrow (money, an object).
Meanings
- to borrow (money, an object)
- to get an advance of money
Usage
Tsallef means to borrow, that is, to receive something you will give back: money, a book, a tool. It is built with men for the person: tsallef men khouh, "he borrowed from his brother". The verb sallef is its opposite and means to lend: sallefni flous, "lend me some money". English speakers easily confuse the two, since they share the same root. The word is very common in speech, in all registers. It is used for a small sum between friends as well as for a more serious loan.
Example
تسلّفت عشرين دينار من صاحبي
tsallaft 3ochrin dinar men sa7bi
“I borrowed twenty dinars from my friend.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tsalef” but also “tsallef”, “tsalaf”, “tsallaf” and “tsalf”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.