motour موتور
Tunisian Derja · noun
“motour” (موتور) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning motorbike, moped.
Meanings
- motorbike, moped
- engine
Usage
Motour is a borrowing from French "moteur", fully integrated into derja. In Tunisia it commonly refers to a motorized two-wheeler: a moped, scooter or motorbike. People say "rkebt el motour" (I got on the motorbike) or "ndour bel motour" (I ride around on the motorbike). The word also keeps the sense of the "engine" of a car or machine, and context decides. For an English speaker, the pitfall is similar: "motour" used on its own generally means the motorbike itself, not an engine. The usual plural is motouret.
Example
خويا شرى موتور جديد.
khouya chra motour jdid.
“My brother bought a new motorbike.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “motour” but also “moteur”, “motor” and “mutur”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “motour” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “motorcycle, moped”; “engine, motor”: motor in Moroccan.
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “motorbike, motorcycle”; “engine”: motor in Algerian.