chabab شباب
Moroccan Darija · noun
“chabab” (شباب) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning young people, the youth.
Meanings
- young people, the youth
- youth (period of life)
Usage
Chabab refers collectively to young people, in expressions like "chabab dyal l7ouma" ("the young people of the neighbourhood"). It also refers to the period of youth: "f chababo" means "in his youth". The word is neutral and very common, used in the press and political speech as well as in conversation. It appears in the names of sports clubs and associations. To talk about a single young person, say chab, or more usually weld, drri or chi wa7ed sghir.
Example
ألمانيا خاصها شباب
almanya 5assha chabab
“Germany needs young people.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chabab” but also “chabaab”, “shabab” and “chbab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “chabab” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “young people, youth”; “nice, beautiful, great (adjective)”: chbab in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “young people, youth”; “cool, great (informal)”: chbeb in Tunisian.