3atifa عاطفة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“3atifa” (عاطفة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning emotion, feeling.
Meanings
- emotion, feeling
- affection, tenderness
Usage
3aTifa means emotion or feeling, especially romantic or affectionate. The word comes from the formal register, but it is common in conversation whenever people talk about relationships, psychology or TV series. It is often used with the article: l3aTifa. The expression "tba3 l3aTifa" means "to let your feelings guide you", as opposed to reason (l3a9el). In everyday speech, people more readily say "l7ob" (love) or "l7nana" (tenderness). 3aTifa remains a bit more abstract and reflective.
Example
ماتخليش العاطفة تحكم فيك
matkhallich l3aTifa t7kem fik
“Don't let your emotions control you.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3atifa” but also “3aatifa”, “aatifa” and “3a6ifa”. 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; 6 is emphatic ta (ط).