motatafel متطفل
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“motatafel” (متطفل) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning intrusive, meddlesome.
Meanings
- intrusive, meddlesome
- freeloader, parasite
Usage
Mtaffel describes someone who shows up where they are not expected: in a conversation, a business deal, a matter that does not concern them. It is also used as a noun: "an intruder". The word is pejorative and often appears in comments about football or politics to call out someone as illegitimate. The register is fairly formal, close to standard Arabic. In casual conversation, fodhouli is more common for a nosy person who meddles in everything. The feminine is mtaffla and the plural is mtafflin.
Example
علاش تدخّل في حكايتنا؟ متطفّل!
3lech tdakhal fi 7kaytna? mtaffel!
“Why is he meddling in our business? What a gatecrasher!”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “motatafel” but also “mtatfel”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.