kebb كب

Tunisian Derja · verb

“kebb” (كب) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to pour a liquid.

Meanings

1. to pour a liquid
2. to spill, knock over
3. to bow, lower (the head)

Usage

Kebb is a very common verb for pouring a liquid: kebb el ma, kebb el qahwa. It is also used for spilling something, deliberately or not. With the head, kebb rasou means to lower or bow the head, often out of shame or shyness. It appears in familiar curses like ikebb sa3dek, "may your luck be overturned", which express irritation. The imperative is kebb, the present nkebb, tkebb, ikebb. Note that it covers both "to pour" and "to spill": context decides.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kebb” but also “keb”, “kabb”, “kab” and “kbb”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “kebb” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to pour (a liquid)”; “to spill, to tip out”: kebb in Moroccan.

In Algerian Darja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “to pour (a liquid, pasta)”; “to spill, empty out”: kab in Algerian.