Ways to say it
| Tunisian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| توحشتك | twahashtek | |
| توحشتك برشا | twahashtek barsha | very much |
| توحشناك | twahashnek | we miss you |
To say 'I miss you a lot', add the Tunisian برشا, 'a lot': توحشتك برشا. A family speaking together says توحشناك (twahashnek), 'we miss you'.
What does it mean word for word?
توحشت means 'I missed' or 'I felt lonely for', and the ending ك means 'you'. برشا means 'a lot'.
Which one should you use?
توحشتك is the everyday phrase. توحشتك برشا is warmer and very common in messages. توحشناك speaks for a group.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase is personal and used with family, friends and partners. It does not change for politeness.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Algerians and Moroccans also say توحشتك, but only Tunisians add برشا. Egyptians and Levantines say وحشتني instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb follows the person who misses: توحشتك is 'I miss you' and توحشناك is 'we miss you'. The ending ك is the same for a man and a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
Say it as 'twa-hash-tek'. The h is a breathy sound made in the throat.
What mistakes should you avoid?
The Egyptian وحشتني sounds foreign in Tunisia. Say توحشتك, which already contains 'you'.
When do people say it?
The usual answer is وأنا زادة توحشتك (w ana zeda twahashtek), 'I miss you too', where زادة is the Tunisian word for 'too'.
Did you know?
- زادة, the Tunisian word for 'too' or 'also', is one of the quickest ways to recognise a Tunisian speaker.
- برشا, meaning 'a lot', is used almost only in Tunisia and turns توحشتك into an unmistakably Tunisian phrase.
Examples in context
- توحشتك برشا يا خويا.twahashtek barsha ya khouya.I miss you a lot, brother.
- توحشتك من نهار مشيت.twahashtek men nhar mshit.I have missed you since the day you left.
- أمي توحشتك برشا.ommi twahashtek barsha.Mom, I miss you a lot.
Example conversation
Mehdi calls his sister Rim, who is studying in Sousse.
- Mehdiتوحشتك برشا يا ريم.twahashtek barsha ya Rim.I miss you a lot, Rim.
- Rimوأنا زادة توحشتك. أمي لاباس؟w ana zeda twahashtek. ommi labas?I miss you too. Is mom well?
- Mehdiلاباس، ديما تحكي عليك.labas, dima tahki alik.She is fine, she always talks about you.
- Rimنروح نهار السبت إن شاء الله.nrouh nhar essebt inchallah.I will come home on Saturday, God willing.
