bettekhbia بالتخبية
Moroccan Darija · adverb
“bettekhbia” (بالتخبية) is an adverb in Moroccan Darija meaning secretly, in hiding.
Meanings
- secretly, in hiding
- on the sly, unnoticed
Usage
Bettekhbia means "in secret". The word comes from the same root as khebba, "to hide". It is used for an action done without someone's knowledge, often parents or an authority: kaykmi bettekhbia, "he smokes in secret". The person being kept in the dark is specified with 3la: bettekhbia 3la mmo, "behind his mother's back". The tone is often a bit conspiratorial or disapproving, depending on the context. The register is common and informal. It is not used to talk about a hidden object: for that, one says mkhebbi.
Example
كان كياكل الحلوة بالتخبية على مو.
kan kayakol l-7elwa bettekhbia 3la mmo.
“He used to eat sweets behind his mother's back.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bettekhbia” but also “bttkhbia”, “bltkhbia” and “betkhbiya”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.