stira7a استراحة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“stira7a” (استراحة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning break, moment of rest.
Meanings
- break, moment of rest
- recess, intermission
Usage
Stira7a means a break, a pause to rest. The word comes from Standard Arabic. It is used at work, at school, on television or figuratively: "khod stira7a mn ttelefon" (take a break from your phone). The typical construction is "khda stira7a" (to take a break), not "dar". In casual speech you also often hear "raha" (rest) or the French "pause". Stira7a sounds a bit more formal and suits organized contexts: schedules, broadcasts, meetings.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “stira7a” but also “istira7a”, “stiraha” and “stira7”. 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.