houwiya هوية
Tunisian Derja · noun
“houwiya” (هوية) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning identity (of a person).
Meanings
- identity (of a person)
- cultural identity, belonging
Usage
The word houwiya comes from Standard Arabic but is commonly used in derja, especially in serious discussions: politics, media, debates about culture and belonging. It appears in phrases like "ma 3andouch houwiya" (he has no identity of his own, he lacks personality) or when talking about Tunisian identity. For an identity document, houwiya is not used on its own. People say "bitaqet ta3rif" or simply "la carte". The register is neutral to formal. In casual conversation, people more often say "asl" (origin) when talking about a person's roots.
Example
البلاد هاذي عندها هوية متاعها.
el bled hedhi 3andha houwiya mte3ha.
“This country has its own identity.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “houwiya” but also “howeyya”, “hawiya”, “houwia” and “hwiya”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “houwiya” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “identity (cultural, personal)”; “official identity, papers”: houwiya in Moroccan.