jeb rabbi جاب ربي
Tunisian Derja · expression
“jeb rabbi” (جاب ربي) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning luckily, by chance.
Meanings
- luckily, by chance
- thank God
Usage
A very common expression that literally means "God brought". It is used to say that something favourable happened at just the right moment, often sparing someone a problem: jeb rabbi jit, "it's lucky you came". It goes at the start of a sentence, followed directly by the verb or introduced by elli (jeb rabbi elli…). The register is informal to neutral, with no strong religious connotation in everyday use. It expresses relief more than piety. The closest equivalent is "luckily" or "it's a good thing that", rather than a literal translation.
Example
جاب ربي خذيت المطريّة، الدنيا صبّت.
jeb rabbi khdhit el matriya, eddenya sabbet.
“Luckily I took the umbrella, it poured down.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “jeb rabbi” but also “jab rabbi”, “jeb rabi”, “jéb rabbi” and “jeb rebbi”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.