madda مادة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“madda” (مادة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning school or university subject.
Meanings
- school or university subject
- material, substance
- article (of a law)
Usage
Madda is used mainly in school contexts to mean a subject: quelle madda t7ebb ?, "which subject do you like?". You also say madda 3elmiya for a science subject. The plural is mawéd. In a more formal or technical register, the word means a substance or product, for example madda kimyawiya, "chemical product". It also means an article of a law or constitution, especially in the media. Note: many Tunisians simply say "la matière" in French when speaking, and madda then sounds somewhat more formal.
Example
الرياضيات هي المادة اللي نحبها أكثر.
e-riyadhiyet hiya el madda elli n7ebha akther.
“Maths is the subject I like most.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “madda” but also “mada” and “maddat”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.