bir بير
Moroccan Darija · noun
“bir” (بير) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning well.
Meanings
- well
Usage
Bir means a well, especially in rural settings or in traditional houses. The plural is "byar". One says "jbed lma mn l-bir" for "to draw water from the well". The word also appears in many place names. It should not be confused with "bira", beer, nor with the loanword "bureau", pronounced "biro". The register is neutral.
Example
كانجبدو الما من البير
kanjebdo lma mn l-bir
“We draw water from the well.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bir” but also “beer” and “byr”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “bir” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “well (for water)”: bir in Tunisian.