ma3doud معدود
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“ma3doud” (معدود) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning counted, in limited quantity.
Meanings
- counted, in limited quantity
- few in number, scarce
Usage
Ma3doud is the passive participle of the verb "to count". It is used mainly to say that something exists in limited quantity and must be used sparingly: money, days, seats. The feminine is ma3douda, and the plural ma3doudin. The word belongs to a somewhat formal everyday register and is also found in standard Arabic. The expression "ayyamou ma3doudin" corresponds to "his days are numbered". For an English speaker, the nuance is close: the word emphasizes scarcity or rarity more than the mere fact of having counted.
Example
الفلوس اللي عندي معدودة
el flous elli 3andi ma3douda
“The money I have is limited.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ma3doud” but also “ma3douda” and “maadoud”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.