sa7b صاحب
Moroccan Darija · noun
“sa7b” (صاحب) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning friend, buddy.
Meanings
- friend, buddy
- boyfriend, partner
- owner, holder
Usage
Sa7b is the ordinary word for "friend". It is almost always used with a possessive (sa7bi, sa7bek) or in a construct phrase: "sa7b khouya", my brother's friend. The plural is s7ab, the feminine sa7ba. Depending on context, sa7b or sa7ba can mean a boyfriend or girlfriend, hence an ambiguity to watch for. The derived verb sa7eb means "to become friends", often "to go out with someone". For "owner", mol is used instead; "sa7b" in that sense belongs to a more formal register.
Example
صاحب خويا عرض علينا لعرسو
sa7b khouya 3ard 3lina l3rssou
“My brother's friend invited us to his wedding.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sa7b” but also “sahb”, “sa7eb”, “sahib” and “sa7ib”. 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 “sa7b” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
The same word also exists in Algerian Darja, written صاحبي, where it means “my friend, my buddy”; “buddy (casual address)”: sahbi in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
The same word also exists in Tunisian Derja, written صاحبي, where it means “my friend, my mate”; “my boyfriend”: sa7bi in Tunisian.