sebb سبّ
Moroccan Darija · verb
“sebb” (سبّ) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to insult, abuse.
Meanings
- to insult, abuse
- to curse, swear at
Usage
A common verb for "to insult" or "to abuse". The word is not vulgar in itself: it names the act of insulting. It takes a direct object: sebbni, "he insulted me". For religion or parents, people say sebb ddin or sebb lwalidin, expressions that mark a serious offence. The corresponding noun is sebba, "insult". Pitfall in writing: the Latin spelling sebb is also used for a homophone verb written with a different letter in Arabic, which means "to pour" or "to pour down". This is the case for rain or snow.
Example
ما تسبّش الناس
ma tsebbch nnas
“Don't insult people.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kansbb | sbbit | |
| nta (you, m.) | katsbb | sbbiti | sbb |
| nti (you, f.) | katsbbi | sbbiti | sbbi |
| howa (he) | kaysbb | sbb | |
| hiya (she) | katsbb | sbbat | |
| 7na (we) | kansbbo | sbbina | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katsbbo | sbbito | sbbo |
| homa (they) | kaysbbo | sbbo |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sebb” but also “sbb” and “sabb”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “sebb” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “to insult, curse”; “to disparage, speak ill of”: sebb in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “insult, abuse”; “insulting someone”: sabb in Tunisian.