madame مدام
Tunisian Derja · noun
“madame” (مدام) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning madam (polite form of address).
Meanings
- madam (polite form of address)
- wife (of someone)
Usage
This word, borrowed from French, is fully integrated into Derja. It is used to address a woman politely, especially in shops, government offices or with a stranger: ya madame. It also takes Arabic suffix pronouns to mean "wife": madamti (my wife), madamtou (his wife). This use is informal and common, often with a slightly playful tone. Be careful: at the market, madamtek means "your wife", not "your lady". For a young unmarried woman, people say mademoiselle or mazmazel instead.
Example
يا مدام، تحبي حاجة أخرى؟
ya madame, t7ebi 7aja o5ra ?
“Madam, would you like anything else?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “madame” but also “madam” and “mdam”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.