9ettal قتّال
Moroccan Darija · adjective
“9ettal” (قتّال) is an adjective in Moroccan Darija meaning deadly, that kills.
Meanings
- deadly, that kills
- murderer, killer
Usage
The intensive form 9ettal (feminine 9ettala) describes what kills or can kill: a poison, an illness, a dangerous road. Used as a noun, it means a killer or murderer. It is also used by exaggeration for something overwhelming, such as heat or tiredness described as "9ettala". Do not confuse it with the verb 9tel, "to kill", nor with 9atil, which is more standard and more formal and is heard mostly in the news. In everyday conversation, 9ettal remains the most natural form.
Example
هاد الدوا قتّال للفيران
had ddwa 9ettal lfiran
“This product is deadly for mice.”
Forms
| feminine | 9ttala |
|---|---|
| plural | 9ttalin |
| feminine plural | 9ttalat |
Forms as recorded in DODa, in its spelling.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9ettal” but also “9ttal”, “qettal”, “9attal” and “9ettala”. 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.