qaftan القفطان
Algerian Darja · noun
“qaftan” (القفطان) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning caftan, traditional ceremonial dress.
Meanings
- caftan, traditional ceremonial dress
Usage
The lqeftan is a long formal dress, often made of velvet and embroidered with gold thread. Women wear it at weddings, engagements and family celebrations. It is often mentioned alongside other traditional Algerian outfits, such as the karakou. The word is used with the article: lebsat lqeftan, "she put on the caftan". To specify the style, add the name of a city or region, as in qeftan dziri or qeftan tlemsani. Who owns the caftan culturally is a heated debate on social media between Algerian and Moroccan users.
Example
لبسات القفطان نهار العرس تاع ختها
lebsat lqeftan nhar l3ers ta3 khetha
“She wore the caftan on her sister's wedding day.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “qaftan” but also “lqeftan”, “kaftan” and “9eftan”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.