kseb كسب
Moroccan Darija · verb
“kseb” (كسب) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to earn, to acquire.
Meanings
- to earn, to acquire
- to own, to possess
Usage
Kseb means to earn or acquire through work, and by extension to own. It takes a direct object: "kseb l-flus" (he earned money), "kseb chi dar" (he acquired a house). The imperfect is "kayekseb". The verb also applies to non-material gains: "kseb tiqa dyal n-nas" (he won people's trust). Note that "to win" a match or a bet is rather "rbeḥ". Do not confuse this verb with the noun "l-kseb", which means livestock.
Example
خدم بزاف وكسب الفلوس
khdem bzaf w kseb lflouss
“He worked a lot and earned money.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kankseb | ksebt | |
| nta (you, m.) | katkseb | ksebti | kseb |
| nti (you, f.) | katksbi | ksebti | ksbi |
| howa (he) | kaykseb | kseb | |
| hiya (she) | katkseb | ksbat | |
| 7na (we) | kanksbo | ksbna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katksbo | ksbto | ksbo |
| homa (they) | kayksbo | ksbo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kseb” but also “ksb”, “kesb” and “ksab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “kseb” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to earn, gain, obtain”; “to own, possess (goods, livestock)”: kseb in Tunisian.