dam3a دمعة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“dam3a” (دمعة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning tear (from crying).
Meanings
- tear (from crying)
- a touch of sadness, grief
Usage
Dam3a means a tear. The common plural is dmou3. People often say dam3et 3in ("tear of the eye") or dmou3i ("my tears"). The word is very frequent in songs, affectionate messages and texts posted online, where it evokes sadness, nostalgia or emotion. It often appears alongside dh7ka ("laughter") to contrast good and bad times. To say "to cry", the verb bka (yebki) is used, not a construction built on dam3a. One can also say dam3a habtet ("a tear fell").
Example
نزلت منها دمعة كي سمعت الخبر.
nzlet minha dam3a ki sm3et lkhbar.
“A tear fell from her when she heard the news.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dam3a” but also “dem3a”, “dam3e” and “dama3”. 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.
Type “dam3a” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “tear (single drop)”: dem3a in Moroccan.