3riss عريس
Moroccan Darija · noun
“3riss” (عريس) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning groom, newlywed husband.
Meanings
- groom, newlywed husband
- suitor, prospective husband
Usage
3riss refers to the groom on the wedding day and in the period around it. The word is also used for a suitor, a potential future husband: "ja chi 3riss", "a suitor has turned up". This is common when the family talks about a daughter's marriage. The plural is 3rayess, and the word goes with 3rousa, "the bride". As a joke, "dayr fiha 3riss" is said to a man who is very well turned out or who is being pampered. The register is everyday and neutral.
Example
تفرحني إيلا جبتي ليا شي عريس
tfrhni ila jbti liya chi 3ris
“It would make me happy if you brought me a suitor.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3riss” but also “3ris”, “3aris” and “3rees”. 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.