3arek عارك
Tunisian Derja · verb
“3arek” (عارك) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to argue, to quarrel.
Meanings
- to argue, to quarrel
- to fight
Usage
3arek, present tense y3arek, means to argue or to fight with someone. One says "t3arek m3a khouh" (he argued with his brother). The corresponding noun is 3arka (argument, fight). The word covers both verbal quarrels and physical fights; only context tells them apart. The proverb "3arek w khalli lessolh mkan" advises arguing without going too far, to keep a chance of reconciling. Despite some sources, it is not an adjective. The form 3arek can also be an imperative.
Example
نحّى ال بلاكة و جاي يعارك ,
naha el blaka w jey y3arek ,
“He took off the license plate and comes looking for a fight.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3arek” but also “3arik”, “y3arek”, “aarek” and “3ark”. 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.