berrer برّر
Moroccan Darija · verb
“berrer” (برّر) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to justify, to justify oneself.
Meanings
- to justify, to justify oneself
- to make an excuse
Usage
Berrer means "to justify": you justify an act, an absence or a delay. The word comes from Standard Arabic vocabulary, which gives it a somewhat formal register. It is heard mostly at school, at work or in administration, as in berrer lghiyab, "to justify an absence". It takes a direct object or 3lach, "why". In casual conversation, people often prefer expressions like 3ta sbab, "give a reason", or qal 3lach, "say why". The corresponding noun is tabrir, "justification".
Example
أنا غادي ن برّر علسش تعطلت
ana ghadi n berrer 3lsch t3etelt
“I'm going to justify why I was late.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanbrrer | brrert | |
| nta (you, m.) | katbrrer | brrerti | brrer |
| nti (you, f.) | katbrreri | brrerti | brreri |
| howa (he) | kaybrrer | brrer | |
| hiya (she) | katbrrer | brrerat | |
| 7na (we) | kanbrrero | brrerna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katbrrero | brrerto | brrero |
| homa (they) | kaybrrero | brrero |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “berrer” but also “brrer”, “barrar” and “barrer”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.