qattous قطوس
Algerian Darja · noun
“qattous” (قطوس) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning cat.
Meanings
- cat
Usage
Qattous means a cat, whether a pet or a stray. The feminine is qattousa, "female cat", and the plural is qtates. The word is especially widespread in Algiers and several other cities. Elsewhere, one also hears mech or qett, depending on the region. It is neutral and informal, and is used both for one's own pet and for street cats. It can serve as a term of endearment for a child. Note: in context, some feminine uses can take on a risqué connotation, as in French.
Example
القطوس راقد فوق الكرسي
el qattous raqed fouq el koursi
“The cat is sleeping on the chair.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “qattous” but also “gattous”, “9attous”, “qatous” and “kattous”. 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.
Type “qattous” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “cat (domestic animal)”; “cunning, resourceful person”: 9attous in Tunisian.