lihoud ليهود
Moroccan Darija · noun
“lihoud” (ليهود) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning the Jews.
Meanings
- the Jews
Usage
Lihoud is the form with the definite article (l-) of the collective ihoud, "Jews". The singular is ihoudi, the feminine ihoudiya. It is the neutral, common term for talking about Jews, in particular Moroccan Jews and their history in the mellahs, the Jewish quarters of cities. It is also found in proverbs and fixed expressions. However, be aware that ihoudi can, depending on tone and context, be used as an insult. The word itself is not pejorative, but the speaker's intent matters. In dictionaries, the form with the article is often cited, as it is the most frequent in use.
Example
كانو ليهود ساكنين فالملاح
kano lihoud saknin f lmellah
“The Jews used to live in the mellah.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “lihoud” but also “li8oud”, “lihod”, “li8od” and “lyhoud”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 8 is light ha (ه) or ghayn (غ), depending on the writer.