khbir خبير
Tunisian Derja · noun
“khbir” (خبير) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning expert, specialist.
Meanings
- expert, specialist
- bit of news, good news
Usage
In the sense of expert, khbir belongs mainly to the language of the media and serious discussion: khbir iqtisadi (economics expert), khbir fil koura (football connoisseur). The common plural is khobara. In casual conversation, khbir is also used as a diminutive of khbar (news), often with an affectionate nuance: khbir behi, "a nice bit of good news". In this sense, it is frequent in messages and good wishes. Only the context tells the two senses apart. An adjective such as behi or hlou generally points to the sense of "news".
Example
جابو خبير باش يشوف الحيط المشقوق.
jebou khbir bech ychouf el 7it el mach9ou9.
“They brought in an expert to look at the cracked wall.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “khbir” but also “5bir”, “khabir”, “5abir” and “khbiir”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 5 is kha (خ), like the ch in Scottish loch.
Type “khbir” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “expert, specialist”; “connoisseur, experienced person”: khabir in Moroccan.