9rara قرارة
Tunisian Derja · expression
“9rara” (قرارة) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning deep down, in one's heart of hearts.
Meanings
- deep down, in one's heart of hearts
Usage
The word appears only in the phrase fi 9rart nafsou, "deep down inside himself", which is inflected according to the person: fi 9rart nafsi, nafsek, nafsha... It comes from Standard Arabic, but is well integrated into Tunisian speech, especially when commenting on someone's hidden intentions. It is typically used to contrast what a person says with what they really think: "he says it's forgotten, but deep down...". The register is slightly formal, without being pedantic. On its own, 9rara has no common use.
Example
يقول سامحتك، أما في قرارة نفسو مازال زعفان.
y9oul sam7tek, ama fi 9rart nafsou mazel za3fen.
“He says he forgave you, but deep down he's still angry.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9rara” but also “9arara”, “qarara” and “krara”. 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.