kitman كيتمان
Algerian Darja · noun
“kitman” (كيتمان) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning earphones, phone earbuds.
Meanings
- earphones, phone earbuds
- hands-free kit
Usage
Kitman refers to phone earphones, whether wired or wireless (Bluetooth). It is an adapted borrowing from French "kit mains-libres" (hands-free kit). The word is fully integrated into darja and is the usual term for anything you put in your ears to listen to music or make calls. You say dir el kitman, "put in the earphones", or hatt el kitman. It does not mean a "kit" in the broad sense: the word refers only to earphones. It is very common among young people, in online comments and videos, where people often advise to "put on the kitman".
Example
دير الكيتمان باش تسمع مليح.
dir el kitman bach tesmaa mlih.
“Put in the earphones so you can hear well.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kitman” but also “kitmane”, “kitmen” and “kitmaan”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.