3an bo3d عن بعد
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“3an bo3d” (عن بعد) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning remotely, at a distance.
Meanings
- remotely, at a distance
- online, without physical presence
Usage
3an bo3d comes from Standard Arabic. It has become common in Tunisia for talking about work, classes or procedures done without travelling: "khedma 3an bo3d", "remote work", "9raya 3an bo3d", "distance learning". It is used after a noun like an invariable adjective, or after a verb: "na9ra 3an bo3d". Many Tunisians also say "en ligne" or "télétravail" in French. The register is neutral, slightly administrative, common in the media and in announcements.
Example
نخدم عن بعد من الدار
nekhdem 3an bo3d mel dar
“I work remotely from home.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3an bo3d” but also “an bo3d”, “3an bou3d” and “3an bo3od”. 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.
Type “3an bo3d” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “remotely, at a distance”: 3an bo3d in Moroccan.