dhe9 ضاق
Tunisian Derja · verb
“dhe9” (ضاق) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to become tight, narrow (clothing).
Meanings
- to become tight, narrow (clothing)
- to be fed up, distressed
Usage
Dhe9 is used first for things that become too tight, like a garment or a space: "es-serwel dhe9 3liya" ("the pants are tight on me"). Figuratively, it expresses anguish or exasperation: "dhe9 bih el-7al" ("he is in hardship, at his wits' end") and "dhe9 sadri" ("I'm suffocating, I feel oppressed"). Expressions like "dhe9 dhar3an" come from standard Arabic and belong to written or journalistic register. The corresponding adjective is dhayye9 ("narrow").
Example
السروال ضاق عليّ، لازمني نشري واحد جديد.
sérwel dhe9 3liya, lezmni nechri we7ed jdid.
“The pants have become too tight, I need to buy a new pair.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dhe9” but also “dha9”, “da9” and “dhaq”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.