martou مرته
Algerian Darja · noun
“martou” (مرته) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning his wife, his spouse.
Meanings
- his wife, his spouse
Usage
The word comes from mra, "woman, wife", with the third-person possessive pronoun added: martou or mertou, "his wife". On the same model, one says marti, "my wife", martek, "your wife", martkoum, "your (plural) wife". It is the most common term for talking about someone's wife. It is informal but neutral. In a more formal or respectful register, zawjtou is preferred, or indirect phrasings such as "moulat dar". In writing, the spelling varies a great deal between martou, mertou and martah.
Example
راح للسوق مع مرتو
rah lessouq m3a martou
“He went to the market with his wife.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “martou” but also “mertou”, “marto”, “mratou” and “martah”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.