ya7 يح
Tunisian Derja · interjection
“ya7” (يح) is an interjection in Tunisian Derja meaning cry at cold or burning.
Meanings
- cry at cold or burning
- exclamation of pain or discomfort
Usage
A colloquial interjection that accompanies a strong, unpleasant physical sensation: biting cold, scorching sun, contact with something too hot. It is often repeated, "ya7 ya7", followed by the cause: "ya7 ya7 mala bard!", how cold it is! It belongs to spontaneous speech and very informal writing. Combined with certain words, it appears in vulgar curses, and it is best avoided in those combinations. On its own, it is harmless.
Example
يح يح، الماء سخون برشا
ya7 ya7, el mé s5oun barcha
“Ouch, the water is way too hot!”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ya7” but also “yah” and “ya7h”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.