3ati عاطي
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“3ati” (عاطي) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning giving, granting.
Meanings
- giving, granting
- tending towards, resembling
Usage
3ati is the active participle of the verb 3ta (to give). It is used first in its literal sense: someone who gives or grants something, including figuratively, as in "3ati confiance fi rou7ou" (he has great confidence in himself). With the preposition 3la, it takes a common descriptive meaning: "3ati 3la" means "tending towards" or "resembling", especially for colours ("asfar 3ati 3la chocolat"). Warning: the feminine form 3atya can have a derogatory sexual connotation when applied to a woman. It is therefore best avoided on its own.
Example
لونو عاطي على الأخضر
lounou 3ati 3la le5dhar
“Its colour is tending towards green.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3ati” but also “3aty” and “aati”. 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.