A study: “Not” in Tunisian Arabic

This article will analyze the linguistic word and concept of “Not” when translated into Tunisian Arabic.

Fundamentally, and most basically, “Not” in Tunisian Arabic is translated as Mouch / موش or Mch / مش. Which to use is preferential and all Tunisian Arabic speakers understand both of these words.

In this article when providing examples using this basic translation, Mouch will be provided, but remember that Mch could be equally used in such instances too.

IBL contributor, Aroua F., speaks Mouch & Mch:

Here are some rules about Mouch (or Mch):

• It’s never used on its own—It always modifies something else. (Just like in English, Not is never used solely)
• Mouch isn’t gender-based. (But below we cover a series of conjugated words that are subject-based)
• Mouch can go with a noun, adjective or adverb.

What follows are some statements that use Not:

Not now — Mouch tawa / موش توّا

In this basic statement, Tawa / توّا means Now. When these two words are used together, they have the effect of Not now. One  could add to this statement by expressing, “Not now but maybe later.” by speaking or writing Mouch tawa ama momken mba3d / موش توّا أما ممكن مبعد.

Aroua F. pronounces Mouch tawa:

Not today — Mouch lyoum / موش اليوم

Here, Today is lyoum / اليوم. So when these two words are used together, the statement has the effect of “Not today”. Someone can expand this statement by expressing: “I asked him and he said not today.” by speaking or writing S2eltou w 9ali mouch lyoum / سألتو و قالي موش اليوم.

Aroua F. pronounces Mouch lyoum:

Not me — Mouch ena / موش أنا

“Me” or “I” is Ena / أنا, so here, Mouch ena / موش أنا means Not me. Expanded, one can express a phrase like: “It wasn’t me.” with the same phrase—Mouch ena.

Aroua F. pronounces Mouch ena:

Conjugated forms of Not in Tunisian Arabic

With the above provided, there is another form of Mouch in Tunisian Arabic that conjugates based on the standard seven subjects: I; You; You, plural; He; She; We; & They.

Here is the list:

I – Manich / مانيش

You – Makech / ماكش

You, plural – Makomch / ماكمش

He – Mahouch / ماهوش

She – Mahich / ماهيش

We – Manech / ماناش

They – Mahomch / ماهمش

Aroua F. pronounces the above conjugated list:

The above list is fully and preferentially interchangeable with Mouch (or Mch) and vice versa. By using the above list with the applicable subject consideration it simply adds greater precision in communication so that an interlocutor(s) knows precisely what is being referred to. (Again, Mouch is general and all encompassing whereas the list of seven conjugated words narrows what is being referred to to a specific subject)

Here is a list of examples using each of the above conjugated list:

Not me. — Manich ena. / .مانيش أنا

Not you. — Makech enti. / .ماكش انتي

I know it wasn’t you two. — Naref eli makomch ntouma ezouz. / .نعرف الّي ماكمش نتوما الزوز

The event is not today. — El evenement mouch lyoum. / .الايفينمون موش اليوم

She is not here. — Mahich lahne. / .ماهيش لهنا (In Tunisian Arabic, alternative to Lahne / لهنا, which means “here”, the word Houni / هوني is commonly used.)

We are not at home right now. — Manech f dar tawa. / .ماناش في الدار توّا

They haven’t arrived yet. — Mazelou maweslouch. / .مازالو موصلوش

Here are five final examples so that you can see statements that interchange Mouch with their conjugated word from the list above. Keep in mind that all of these statements are perfectly conventional to say or speak in Tunisian Arabic.

I’m not at home. —

Ena mouch f dar. / .أنا موش في الدار

Manich f dar. / .مانيش في الدار

Aroua F. pronounces Ena mouch f dar & Manich f dar:

He is not here. —

Mouch lahne. / .موش هوني

Mahouch lahne. / .ماهوش لهنا

Aroua F. pronounces Mouch lahne & Mahouch lahne:

She is not ready yet. —

Mazelet mouch 7adhra. / .مازلت موش حاضرة

Mazelet mahich 7adhra. / .مازالت ماهيش حاضرة (Alternatively, Mazelet ma7adhretch / مازلت محضرتش can also be used)

Aroua F. pronounces Mazelet mouch 7adhra & Mazelet mahich 7adhra:

The meal is not hot. —

El mekla mouch skhouna. / .الماكلة موش سخونة

El mekla mahich skhouna. / .الماكلة ماهيش سخونة

Aroua F. pronounces El mekla mouch skhouna & El mekla mahich skhouna:

It’s not cold out. —

Mouch berda lbara. / .موش باردة البرّا

Mahich berda lbara. / .ماهيش باردة البرّا

Aroua F. pronounces Mouch berda lbara & Mahich berda lbara:

In closing

Understanding how to say “Not” in Tunisian Arabic in a variety of scenarios will expand your ability and versatility in speaking (Ta7ki / تحكي) Tounsi. Now that you’ve completed this article you may be interested to read an IBL article on a related topic: A study: “No” in Tunisian Arabic. If you want to move to studying and learning the Arabic alphabet there is also the IBL articles: The letter “A” in Tunisian Arabic & The letter “B” in Tunisian Arabic.

Enjoy learning the fun Arabic dialect of Tunisian. (Derja tounsiya / الدارجة التونسيّة)

And as always, we wish you a marvellous journey!