steb3ed ستبعد
Moroccan Darija · verb
“steb3ed” (ستبعد) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to find unlikely, doubt.
Meanings
- to find unlikely, doubt
- to rule out, exclude
Usage
Steb3ed is mostly used to say that something is unlikely. The form kanstab3ed is equivalent to "I doubt it" or "I'd be surprised if...": kanstab3ed yji lyoum, "I doubt he'll come today". This sense is common in conversation. In a more formal register, especially administrative, sports or journalistic, the verb also means "to rule out, exclude": steb3dou mel lista, "they left him off the list". Remember that the first person expresses doubt first and foremost, not exclusion.
Example
كنستبعد يجي اليوم، راه مشغول
kanstab3ed yji lyoum, rah mchghoul
“I doubt he'll come today, he's busy.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kansteb3ed | steb3edt | |
| nta (you, m.) | katsteb3ed | steb3edti | steb3ed |
| nti (you, f.) | katsteb3di | steb3edti | steb3di |
| howa (he) | kaysteb3ed | steb3ed | |
| hiya (she) | katsteb3ed | steb3dat | |
| 7na (we) | kansteb3do | steb3dna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katsteb3do | steb3dto | steb3do |
| homa (they) | kaysteb3do | steb3do |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “steb3ed” but also “stab3ed”, “stb3ed” and “steb3ad”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.