bettbe3 بالطبع
Algerian Darja · adverb
“bettbe3” (بالطبع) is an adverb in Algerian Darja meaning perfectly, by the book.
Meanings
- perfectly, by the book
- of course, obviously
Usage
In Darja, bettbe3 means that something is done perfectly, carefully and as it should be. It is often said of a successful dish or careful work. The expression bettbe3 w echan, "to perfection and with class", is very common. Watch out for a pitfall: the same word exists in Standard Arabic with the meaning "of course". This sense is also found in Algeria, mostly in writing or in a formal register. Context decides.
Example
دارت لعشا بالطبع و الشان
dart le3cha bettbe3 w echan
“She made dinner to perfection and with style.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bettbe3” but also “b-ettba3”, “betteb3” and “bettba3”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.