dwem دوام
Tunisian Derja · noun
“dwem” (دوام) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning permanence, continuity.
Meanings
- permanence, continuity
- working hours
Usage
Dwem refers to lasting or enduring. It is best known from the proverb dwem el 7al mel m7al, "nothing lasts forever", quoted to console someone or remind them that luck turns. It also appears in wishes: in cha allah dwem ennja7, "may success continue". In the sense of working hours, it belongs to an administrative register and is less common in speech. To say "always", use dima, not this noun.
Example
دوام الحال من المحال
dwem el 7al mel m7al
“Nothing lasts forever.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “dwem” but also “dwam”, “douam” and “dawem”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.