ddabz دابز
Moroccan Darija · verb
“ddabz” (دابز) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to fight, brawl.
Meanings
- to fight, brawl
- to quarrel violently
Usage
Ddabz (or tdabz) is the common verb for "to fight". It covers a physical brawl as well as a violent quarrel: context decides. The imperfect is kaytdabz or kaydabz. The verb takes m3a for the opponent: "tdabz m3a jaru". The related noun is dbaz or mdabza, "brawl", very frequent: "tlqat mdabza f z-zenqa". The word is colloquial but not vulgar. For a simple, less violent verbal argument, tkhasem is used instead. It is easy to translate it too strongly or too weakly: go by the tone.
Example
دابّز معا مرتو
dabbez m3a merto
“He had a fight with his wife.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanddabz | ddabzt | |
| nta (you, m.) | katddabz | ddabzti | ddabz |
| nti (you, f.) | katddabzi | ddabzti | ddabzi |
| howa (he) | kayddabz | ddabz | |
| hiya (she) | katddabz | ddabzat | |
| 7na (we) | kanddabzo | ddabzna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katddabzo | ddabzto | ddabzo |
| homa (they) | kayddabzo | ddabzo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ddabz” but also “dabez” and “dabbez”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.