dwira دويرة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“dwira” (دويرة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning small house, little house.
Meanings
- small house, little house
- short stroll, short walk
- small loop, short round trip
Usage
Dwira is the diminutive of dar (house): it refers to a small house, often with an affectionate or modest nuance. It can also refer to a small outbuilding attached to a traditional house. The same word also serves as the diminutive of dora (turn, round): "dar dwira" or "jab dwira" means "to take a short stroll, a little walk". Context decides: a verb of motion points to the stroll, a verb like bna (to build) or sken (to live) points to the house. The register is familiar and warm.
Example
كان كيسحاب ليا غادي يبني شي قصر هنا سدقات غير دويرة صغيرة
kan kis7ab liya ghadi ybni chi 9sser hna sed9at ghir dwira sghira
“I thought he was going to build some palace here, but it's just a little house.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dwira” but also “douira”, “dwiira”, “dwera” and “dowira”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “dwira” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “small house, cottage”; “modest home, household”: dwira in Tunisian.