gntra ڭنطرا
Moroccan Darija · noun
“gntra” (ڭنطرا) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning bridge.
Meanings
- bridge
Usage
Gnṭra is a spelling of qenṭra, "bridge", written with an initial g. It reflects a pronunciation common in several regions and in the countryside. The word applies to bridges over a wadi, a road or a railway, and often serves as a landmark to give directions: qrib l-gnṭra, "near the bridge". The plural is qnaṭer or gnaṭer. The meaning is exactly that of qenṭra: only the pronunciation and spelling change. It should therefore not be seen as a separate word.
Example
دوز من فوق الڭنطرا وتلقى الدار
douz mn fo9 lgnTra w tl9a ddar
“Go across the bridge and you'll find the house.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “gntra” but also “gantra”, “guentra” and “gentra”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.