Ways to say it
| Algerian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| واش | wach | |
| شو | cho | less common |
| واش قلت؟ | wach qolt? | what did you say? |
شو (cho) carries the same meaning but is used less often in Algeria than in the Levant, where it is the main word for 'what'. To ask someone to repeat themselves, say واش قلت؟ (wach qolt?), 'what did you say?'
What does it mean word for word?
واش likely developed from an older Arabic phrase asking 'what thing', shortened over time into a single word.
Which one should you use?
واش is the everyday word for 'what' in every context, from a simple question to واش راك, 'how are you'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
واش is informal but completely normal in daily speech at every level of formality.
Is it said differently in some regions?
واش marks Maghrebi Arabic clearly, since Levantine speakers mainly use شو and Gulf speakers often use شي or وش.
How does it change in a sentence?
واش does not change with gender or number and can combine with other words, as in واش حاب, 'what do you want'.
How do you pronounce it?
واش is said quickly, closer to 'wesh' in fast, casual speech.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes use the Standard Arabic ماذا in conversation, which sounds overly formal next to the everyday واش.
When do people say it?
واش appears in one of Algeria's most recognizable everyday greetings, واش راك, making it one of the first words many learners pick up.
Did you know?
- واش is one of the clearest dialect markers in spoken Arabic, instantly signaling Algerian or Moroccan speech over Levantine شو or Egyptian إيه.
- The phrase واش راك, built directly from واش, is one of the most recognizable Algerian expressions outside the country.
Examples in context
- واش حاب تاكل؟wach hab takol?What do you want to eat?
- واش قلت، ما سمعتكش؟wach qolt, ma sma3tekch?What did you say, I did not hear you?
- واش هذا؟wach hada?What is this?
Example conversation
Hana asks her friend Salim what he is cooking.
- Hanaواش راك طيب؟wach rak tayeb?What are you cooking?
- Salimطيب شوربة.tayeb chorba.I am cooking soup.
- Hanaواش فيها؟wach fiha?What's in it?
- Salimخضرة وفروج.khodra w ferrouj.Vegetables and chicken.
