ghleb غلب

Tunisian Derja · verb

“ghleb” (غلب) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to beat, to defeat someone.

Meanings

1. to beat, to defeat someone
2. to overcome, to prevail over
3. to be helpless (ghleb 3la amrou)

Usage

A very common verb, pronounced ghleb, with the present yeghleb. It is used for a match, a game or an argument: ghlebni means "he beat me". The passive form maghloub refers to the one who lost. By extension, maghloub is used to mean "the poor guy, the unfortunate one", with a nuance of compassion. The expression ghleb 3la amrou, or maghloub 3la amrou, describes someone who has no choice or can do nothing. Pitfall for an English speaker: depending on the context, the word expresses either a victory or, on the contrary, a helplessness that one has to endure.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ghleb” but also “ghlab”, “8leb” and “ghlib”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 8 is light ha (ه) or ghayn (غ), depending on the writer.

Type “ghleb” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to defeat, beat, win over”; “to overpower, be stronger than”: ghleb in Moroccan.