misbe7 مصباح
Tunisian Derja · noun
“misbe7” (مصباح) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning lamp, lantern.
Meanings
- lamp, lantern
- flashlight
Usage
Misbe7 means a lamp, especially a backup lamp or a lantern lit during a power cut. For the ordinary light bulb or electric lighting, people more readily say bola or dhaw. The word is very present in the expression el misbe7 essé7ri ("the magic lamp"), known from folk tales. The plural is mséba7. Note: Misbe7 or Mosbah is also a common first name and surname in Tunisia. In that case it should not be translated. The register is neutral.
Example
جيب المصباح، الضو مقصوص
jib el misbe7, eddhaw ma9sous
“Bring the lamp, the power is out.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “misbe7” but also “mesba7”, “misba7”, “mesbe7” and “misbah”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.