ga3da قاعدة

Algerian Darja · adjective

“ga3da” (قاعدة) is an adjective in Algerian Darja meaning in the middle of doing (female subject).

Meanings

1. in the middle of doing (female subject)
2. sitting, staying (feminine)
3. rule, basis

Usage

In darja, qa3da is above all the feminine participle of q3ed, "to sit, to stay". Followed by a verb in the imperfect, it marks an action in progress, like "in the middle of doing": qa3da nqra, "I am studying", said by a woman. The masculine form is qa3ed and the plural qa3din. It can also mean "sitting" or "staying somewhere": qa3da f dar, "she stays at home". The sense of "rule" or "basis" comes from standard Arabic and belongs to the school or formal register. Pitfall: it agrees with the subject, not with the verb that follows.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ga3da” but also “qa3da”, “9a3da”, “ka3da” and “gaada”. 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; 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.

Type “ga3da” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “rule, norm”; “base (military), foundation”: 9a3ida in Moroccan.

In Tunisian Derja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “rule, principle”; “base, foundation”: 9a3da in Tunisian.