kebda كبدة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“kebda” (كبدة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning liver (organ, food).
Meanings
- liver (organ, food)
- darling, beloved child
Usage
Kebda means liver, both the organ and the food. Grilled lamb liver on skewers is popular, especially at Eid al-Adha. The word also carries strong emotional weight: Moroccan culture locates attachment to children in the liver. Kebdti ("my liver") is thus a tender term for a child, and lkebda can evoke parental love. Note that an English speaker might look for this emotional register in the heart instead. To refer to a specific dish, give the context: kebda mchermla, for example.
Example
كون غير قدرت ن شري شي كبدة زوينة و بنينة
koun ghir 9dert n chri chi kebda zwina ou bnina
“If only I could buy some good, tasty liver.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kebda” but also “kbda” and “kabda”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “kebda” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “liver (organ, offal)”; “darling, my child (affectionate)”: kebda in Tunisian.