nessab نصّاب
Moroccan Darija · noun
“nessab” (نصّاب) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning swindler, con artist.
Meanings
- swindler, con artist
- dishonest (adjective)
Usage
Nessab refers to a person who deceives others to get money or an advantage out of them. The word works as a noun or an adjective: had rrajel nessab, "this man is a swindler". The feminine is nessaba and the plural nessaba or nessabin. A swindle is nasba, and the verb nseb 3la means "to con someone". The term is accusatory but is not considered vulgar. It is used in conversations about business, sales or fake intermediaries. It is also common in the press in Arabic.
Example
راه معروف عليه نصاب
rah m3rouf 3lih nessab
“Everyone knows he's a swindler.”
Forms
| feminine | nSSaba |
|---|---|
| plural | nSSaba |
| feminine plural | nSSabat |
Forms as recorded in DODa, in its spelling.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “nessab” but also “nssab”, “nasab” and “nassab”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.