zerda زردة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“zerda” (زردة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning feast, big meal among friends.
Meanings
- feast, big meal among friends
- party where people eat well
Usage
Zerda refers to an abundant, festive meal, offered to close ones or shared among friends. It can be an invitation, a celebration meal or simply a good blowout. The word is colloquial and warm. The phrases dir zerda (throw a feast) and dir lina chi zerda (treat us to a feast) are frequent, often in a teasing tone. A zerda is above all about food: it is not a dance party, contrary to what the English "party" might suggest.
Example
ديرلينا شي زردة
dirlina chi zerda
“Throw us a feast.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “zerda” but also “zarda” and “zrda”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “zerda” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “communal festive meal, often at a saint's shrine”; “big spread, celebration with food”: zerda in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “annual feast for a local saint”; “big festive meal, feast”: zarda in Tunisian.