bisklat بيسكلات

Algerian Darja · noun

“bisklat” (بيسكلات) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning bicycle, bike.

Meanings

1. bicycle, bike

Usage

Bisklat is the adapted loanword from French "bicyclette". It is the usual word for a bicycle in Algeria. It is feminine: "wahd el bisklat", "bisklat jdida". The plural is "bisklatat". The associated verbs are "rkeb" (to ride, get on) and, colloquially, "seg" (to drive, ride): "nsog el bisklat". The word is common at all ages, especially in childhood memories. The French "vélo" is also heard, but "bisklat" remains more natural. The pronunciation reduces the vowels, hence the very varied spellings online.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bisklat” but also “biseklèt”, “bisklet”, “biciklat” and “beskleta”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “bisklat” on the Arabic keyboard