9a3a قاعة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“9a3a” (قاعة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning hall, room (classes, parties, etc.).
Meanings
- hall, room (classes, parties, etc.)
Usage
"9a3a" means a large room for collective use: classroom, cinema, courtroom, gym. It is used mostly in the construct state, as in "9a3et el afra7" ("wedding hall", "function hall") or "9a3et sport". For an ordinary room in a house, "bit" is used instead. In spoken language, the loanword "sala" is also heard with the same meaning. The usual plural is "9a3at".
Example
العرس في قاعة الأفراح.
el 3ers fi 9a3et el afra7.
“The wedding is at the function hall.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9a3a” but also “qa3a”, “ka3a” and “9aa3a”. 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; 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.