karmous كرموس
Tunisian Derja · noun
“karmous” (كرموس) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning fig (fresh fruit).
Meanings
- fig (fresh fruit)
- fig tree
Usage
Karmous is the common Tunisian word for the fresh fig, a fruit very present in summer. It is used as a collective: nekel karmous, "I eat figs"; the single fruit is karmousa. The fig tree is called chajret karmous or simply karmousa depending on the region. The dried fig is chriha, not to be confused with it. The word is neutral, of all registers, and also appears in popular expressions. Note that the Standard Arabic tin is understood but little used in everyday life.
Example
الكرموس هالعام بنين برشا.
el karmous hal 3am bnin barcha.
“The figs are very good this year.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “karmous” but also “karmouss”, “karmus” and “kermous”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “karmous” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “fig”; “dried fig (karmous yabes)”: karmous in Algerian.