chtaba شطابة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“chtaba” (شطابة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning broom.
Meanings
- broom
Usage
Chttaba is the ordinary word for a broom. It is related to the verb chetteb, "to sweep", and to the noun tchetab, "sweeping". It is used in daily life, for the house as well as the street. The plural is chttabat. Depending on the region and the type of broom, other words may also be heard, but chttaba remains the most widespread. The word appears in a few informal, sometimes mocking expressions describing a very thin person. For the mop, another word is used, such as tterrab or chiffon depending on the region.
Example
جيب الشطابة نشطب الدار
jib chttaba nchetteb dar
“Bring the broom, let me sweep the house.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chtaba” but also “chttaba”, “chettaba”, “shtaba” and “chattaba”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.