camiouna كميونة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“camiouna” (كميونة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning van, light truck.
Meanings
- van, light truck
- small truck
Usage
The word camiouna comes from the French "camionnette", adapted to the feminine in -a. It is the common term for a light utility vehicle: that of a delivery driver, a tradesman, rural transport or public services, as in "camiounet el 7imeya" (the civil protection vehicle). For a large truck, you say "camion" or "kamiou" instead. The most common plural is camiounet. Grammatically, the word is feminine: you say "camiouna bidha", a white van.
Example
جاب الخضرة في كميونة متاع خوه.
jeb el khodhra fi camiounet khouh.
“He brought the vegetables in his brother's van.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “camiouna” but also “kamiouna”, “camiona”, “camionna” and “kamyouna”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.