si سي
Moroccan Darija · noun
“si” (سي) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning Mr. (title before a first name).
Meanings
- Mr. (title before a first name)
- sir (when addressing someone)
Usage
Si is a title of respect placed before a man's first name: si Ahmed, si Mohammed. It is a shortened form of sidi. It is used for an elder, a teacher, a neighbour or anyone owed respect, in a polite but familiar tone. It can be combined with other titles, as in si lhaj. To address someone directly, you say a ssi ("sir!"). The corresponding feminine is lalla. Pitfall: in arabizi, "cv" and "si" are often used to write the French "ça va" or "si". Do not confuse them with this title.
Example
سي أحمد جا اليوم؟
si ahmed ja lyoum?
“Did Mr. Ahmed come today?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “si” but also “ssi” and “sy”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “si” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “mister (title before a first name)”: si in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “Mr (before a first name)”; “title of respect”: si in Tunisian.