klima كليمة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“klima” (كليمة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning a few words, a brief comment.
Meanings
- a few words, a brief comment
- short statement
Usage
Klima is the diminutive of kelma (“word”). It means “a little word”, that is, a brief spoken contribution. It is heard a lot on radio and television. The host asks a guest for a klima: n7eb nakhou klima menek (“I'd like a word from you”). It is also said in the family or in meetings, to invite someone to speak briefly. The diminutive softens the request and makes it polite. It is not a rare or literary word: it is the Tunisian way of saying “to say a few words”.
Example
قول لنا كليمة على اللي صار.
goul lna klima 3al li sar.
“Say a few words to us about what happened.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “klima” but also “kelima”, “klimé” and “klimaa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.