da3wa دعوة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“da3wa” (دعوة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning invocation, prayer to God.
Meanings
- invocation, prayer to God
- curse (da3wa khayba)
- invitation; call, preaching
Usage
Da3wa is most often an invocation addressed to God on someone's behalf: da3wet el-waldin (the blessing of parents) is considered very powerful. It can also wish harm. Da3wa khayba, or da3wa 3lih, then means a curse: of someone who piles up misfortunes, people say they "caught a da3wa". In a more formal register, the word means "invitation", for example to a meeting, or "call", in the sense of religious preaching. The corresponding verb is d3a (to invoke, to wish): d3a-li (he prayed for me).
Example
ربي يقبل دعوتك.
rabbi y9abel da3wtek.
“May God accept your prayer.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “da3wa” but also “d3wa”, “da3oua”, “daawa” and “da3wet”. 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.