n7as نحاس
Moroccan Darija · noun
“n7as” (نحاس) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning copper.
Meanings
- copper
- copper or brass objects
Usage
n7as means copper. In everyday use, it also covers brass, and in particular traditional metalwork: trays, teapots, lamps and basins. You say siniya d n7as for "a copper tray". The n7aysi is the craftsman who works this metal, and the coppersmiths' souks are well known in the medinas. Keep in mind that n7as does not always distinguish copper from brass. The word is neutral and in common use.
Example
عندنا صينية ديال النحاس قديمة
3ndna siniya dyal n7as 9dima
“We have an old copper tray.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “n7as” but also “ne7as”, “n7ass” and “nhas”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.
Type “n7as” on the Arabic keyboard
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “copper”; “copperware”: n7as in Tunisian.