barra برة
Moroccan Darija · adverb
“barra” (برة) is an adverb in Moroccan Darija meaning outside, out.
Meanings
- outside, out
- abroad
Usage
Barra is the common adverb for "outside": we go out barra, we wait barra, we eat barra (at a restaurant, away from home). With a verb of motion, it indicates direction: khrej barra, "go out". It is also very often used to speak of foreign countries: f barra, "abroad", and nass barra refers to emigrants, especially the diaspora on holiday back home. Used alone in a curt tone, barra! means "out!", an order to leave. The opposite is dakhel, "inside". Pitfall: barra is not built with "of" as in English "outside of"; one says barra mn d-dar, "outside the house".
Example
سير تلعب برّا، الجو زوين
sir tl3eb barra, ljaw zwin
“Go play outside, the weather is nice.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “barra” but also “bara”, “berra” and “barraa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “barra” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
The same word also exists in Tunisian Derja, written برا, where it means “outside”; “come on, go ahead”: barra in Tunisian.