chahada شهادة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“chahada” (شهادة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning diploma.
Meanings
- diploma
- certificate, attestation
- testimony; profession of faith
Usage
Pronounced "chhèda" or "chhada" in everyday speech. The most frequent meaning is diploma: "5dhit ech-chhèda", I got my diploma. The word also refers to any administrative certificate: "chhèda tbiya", medical certificate, "chhèda 5edma", employment certificate. In a court or an argument, it means testimony. In a religious context, "ech-chahèda" is the profession of faith, and "chahid" is the martyr. The plural is "chhèdèt". Watch the pronunciation: the vowel of the first syllable is often swallowed in speech.
Example
خذيت الشهادة متاعي العام هذا
5dhit ech-chhada mte3i el 3am hedha
“I got my diploma this year.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chahada” but also “chehada” and “shahada”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find شهادة and شهاده, all the same word.