5touba خطوبة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“5touba” (خطوبة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning engagement.
Meanings
- engagement
- engagement party
Usage
"5touba" means engagement: the period during which the couple is engaged, and the ceremony or party that makes it official. You say "3mal 5touba" (to hold one's engagement) and "khatem 5touba" (engagement ring). The 5touba comes before the marriage contract and the wedding celebration ("3ers"). It is often marked by a visit between the families and an exchange of gifts. The word is used in all registers.
Example
أختي عملت الخطوبة متاعها السبت اللي فات
o5ti 3malet el 5touba mte3ha essebt elli fet
“My sister had her engagement last Saturday.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “5touba” but also “khotba”, “5otba”, “5tooba” and “khtouba”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.