chbab شباب
Algerian Darja · noun
“chbab” (شباب) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning young people, youth.
Meanings
- young people, youth
- nice, beautiful, great (adjective)
Usage
As a collective noun, chbab means young people or youth: chbab el houma, "the young people of the neighbourhood", dar chbab, "youth centre". In Algeria, chbab is also very often used as a colloquial adjective meaning "beautiful", "nice", "good": rak chbab, "you look good, you look classy", lfilm hada chbab, "this film is great". The feminine is chbaba. In this second sense, the word is used to compliment a person or thing. Learners often wrongly take it to mean only "young people".
Example
شباب الحومة راهم يلعبو الكورة
chbab el houma rahom yal3bou lkora
“The neighbourhood's young people are playing football.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chbab” but also “chbeb”, “chbèb”, “shbab” and “chabab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “chbab” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “young people, the youth”; “youth (period of life)”: chabab in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “young people, youth”; “cool, great (informal)”: chbeb in Tunisian.