moto موتو
Tunisian Derja · noun
“moto” (موتو) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning motorbike, motorcycle.
Meanings
- motorbike, motorcycle
- scooter, moped
Usage
Moto is the common borrowing from French for a motorcycle or, more broadly, any motorized two-wheeler. It is used as a feminine noun: el moto mte3i, moto jdida. Some speakers also say motour. The word is everyday and neutral. Pitfall in writing: the same Arabic spelling is also used to transcribe moutou, the plural imperative meaning "die". The latter appears in the expression moutou b ghaydhkom ("die of rage"), used to taunt an opponent, especially between supporters. Only context distinguishes the two.
Example
شريت موتو جديدة باش نمشي بيها للخدمة.
chrit moto jdida bech nemchi biha lel khedma.
“I bought a new motorbike to go to work on.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “moto” but also “motto”, “moutou” and “motou”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.