kabous كابوس
Tunisian Derja · noun
“kabous” (كابوس) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning nightmare, bad dream.
Meanings
- nightmare, bad dream
- painful situation, ordeal
Usage
Kabous is used as in French, both literally and figuratively. Literally, it means a bad dream. Figuratively, it describes a very painful day, errand, or situation: "nhar kif el kabous", "a day like a nightmare". The word is common in all registers. People often say "7lomt b kabous" ("I had a nightmare") or "ken kabous", "it was a nightmare". The plural is kweybis, but it remains rare in speech.
Example
البارح ما رقدتش مليح، حلمت بكابوس.
lbere7 ma r9adtech mli7, 7lomt b kabous.
“Last night I didn't sleep well, I had a nightmare.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kabous” but also “kabouss”, “kaboos” and “kabus”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “kabous” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “nightmare, bad dream”; “ordeal, awful thing or person”: kabous in Moroccan.