9arbla قربلة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“9arbla” (قربلة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning mess, disorder.
Meanings
- mess, disorder
- complication, hassle
- commotion, noisy fuss
Usage
9arbla is a very common colloquial word. It describes a confused situation, a disorder or a complicated matter that causes hassle: administrative procedures, building work, family dramas. You say fiha 9arbla ("it's complicated, it's a mess") or 9arbla o5ra ("another headache"). It can also mean noisy commotion. The corresponding verb is 9arbel / y9arbel (to mess up, to complicate). The word carries a nuance of annoyance but is not vulgar. In French, the closest equivalents are "bazar", "galère" or "pagaille".
Example
الأوراق متاع البلديّة فيها قربلة كبيرة.
el awra9 mte3 el baladiya fiha 9arbla kbira.
“The town hall paperwork is a real mess.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9arbla” but also “karbla”, “qarbla”, “9arbala” and “9erbla”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.