akhla9 أخلاق
Moroccan Darija · noun
“akhla9” (أخلاق) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning morals, moral values.
Meanings
- morals, moral values
- manners, etiquette
- character, temperament
Usage
Akhla9 is a plural used as a collective noun. It refers both to moral values and to the way one behaves with others. It is heard mostly in judgments about a person. "3endou l-akhla9" means he is well brought up, and "ma 3endouch l-akhla9" means he is ill-mannered or unscrupulous. People also say "akhla9 mezyana" for good manners. The word is neutral and is used both within the family and in the media. It takes feminine singular agreement. Pitfall for an English speaker: the meaning is broader than "morals" and often includes simple politeness.
Example
هاد الدري عندو الأخلاق، ديما كيسلم على الناس.
had drri 3endou l-akhla9, dima kaysellem 3la nnas.
“This boy is well brought up, he always greets people.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “akhla9” but also “a5la9” and “akhlaq”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch; 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.
Type “akhla9” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “good manners, upbringing”; “moral values, morality”: akhla9 in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “morals, good character”; “good manners, upbringing”: a5le9 in Tunisian.