dowwa ضوّا
Moroccan Darija · verb
“dowwa” (ضوّا) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to light up, shed light on.
Meanings
- to light up, shed light on
- to shine, glow
Usage
Ḍowwa means to light up, to cast light on something. The verb is transitive, or is constructed with 3la: "ḍowwi 3liya b ttilifoun" (shine the phone on me). It is also used without an object for a source that shines: "l-qmer kayḍowwi" (the moon is shining). It is an everyday verb of neutral register. To switch on a device or a lamp, "ch3el" is used instead. Ḍowwa stresses the casting of light. Do not confuse it with the noun ḍḍu (light), from which it derives.
Example
ضوّي عليا بالتيليفون، ما كنشوف والو.
Dowwi 3liya b ttilifoun, ma kanchouf walou.
“Shine your phone light on me, I can't see anything.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanDowwi | Dowwit | |
| nta (you, m.) | katDowwi | Dowwiti | Dowwi |
| nti (you, f.) | katDowwai | Dowwiti | Dowwi |
| howa (he) | kayDowwi | Dowwa | |
| hiya (she) | katDowwi | Dowwaat | |
| 7na (we) | kanDowwiw | Dowwina | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katDowwiw | Dowwito | Dowwiw |
| homa (they) | kayDowwiw | Dowwao |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dowwa” but also “dwwa”, “dowa”, “dawwa” and “dwa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.