dabber rassek دبر راسك

Tunisian Derja · expression

“dabber rassek” (دبر راسك) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning manage on your own, find a solution.

Meanings

1. manage on your own, find a solution
2. take care of yourself

Usage

Dabber rassek literally means "arrange your head" and corresponds to "fend for yourself" or "figure it out". It is used to tell someone to find a solution on their own, often with a hint of refusing help: "that's not my problem". The tone can be neutral, encouraging or curt depending on the situation. The expression is conjugated: dabbert rassi, "I managed"; dabbrou rouskom, "fend for yourselves". It belongs to the informal register. Depending on intonation, it can also mean "take care of yourself".

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dabber rassek” but also “dabber rasek”, “dabbar rassek” and “deber rasek”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “dabber rassek” on the Arabic keyboard

In Algerian Darja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “figure it out yourself”; “find a way, however you can”: debber rassek in Algerian.