3ahd عهد
Tunisian Derja · noun
“3ahd” (عهد) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning era, reign, regime.
Meanings
- era, reign, regime
- promise, pledge
Usage
3ahd means an era, usually associated with a leader or a regime. The construction fi 3ahd followed by a noun is very frequent: fi 3ahd Bourguiba, "under Bourguiba". It is widely used in political discussions, with phrases such as 3ahd jdid, "a new era". The second sense, "promise, oath", appears in 3ta 3ahd, "to give one's word", or in solemn formulas. The register is rather formal, close to Standard Arabic. In ordinary conversation, for "era" people more often say waqt: fi waqt jeddi, "in my grandfather's time".
Example
وين كنت يا عرّيف في عهد المخلوع
Win Kont Ya 3errif Fi 3ahd LMA5LOU3
“Where were you, Mr. Know-It-All, under the ousted president?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3ahd” but also “3ahed”, “ahd” and “3hed”. 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.