dab داب
Moroccan Darija · verb
“dab” (داب) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning melt (ice, snow, butter).
Meanings
- melt (ice, snow, butter)
- dissolve (sugar, tablet)
Usage
Dab is the past tense, third person masculine. The imperfect is ydub, and kaydub is used for an ongoing or habitual action. The verb is used for things that melt under heat, such as ice, chocolate or butter. It is also used for things that dissolve in a liquid: "s-skkar dab f l-atay". To "make melt", use the form dwwb. Figuratively, one can say that someone is "melting" from heat or emotion. Do not confuse this verb with daba, "now", or with dhab, "gold". The spelling "dhab" in sentence 4 comes from this confusion.
Example
الجليد داب دخيا معا شمش
lglace dab d5ya m3a chemch
“The ice melted quickly in the sun.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | dbt | |
| nta (you, m.) | dbti | doub |
| nti (you, f.) | dbti | doubi |
| howa (he) | dab | |
| hiya (she) | dabt | |
| 7na (we) | dbna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | dbto | doubo |
| homa (they) | dabo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dab” but also “daab”, “dap” and “dhab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.