rtouba رطوبة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“rtouba” (رطوبة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning humidity (of the air).
Meanings
- humidity (of the air)
- dampness, damp chill
Usage
Rtouba refers to humidity in the air or in a place. It is used a lot to talk about the climate of coastal cities, houses where the walls sweat, or the effect of humidity on health and skin. Common phrases are "kayna rtouba" ("it's humid") and "fiha rtouba bezzaf" ("it's very humid"). The word is neutral and is used in everyday conversation as well as in weather reports. It shares its root with the adjective rteb ("soft, tender"). Do not confuse it with lberd ("the cold"), even though the two are often mentioned together in winter.
Example
خاص تكوني ف شي مدينة ماتكون فيها رطوبة
khas tkoni f shi mdina matkon fiha rotoba
“You need to be in a city where there's no humidity.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “rtouba” but also “rotoba”, “rtoba” and “rotouba”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.