msa مساء
Tunisian Derja · noun
“msa” (مساء) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning evening (in greetings).
Meanings
- evening (in greetings)
Usage
In Tunisia, msa is used almost only in the greeting msa el khir (good evening). The usual reply is msa ennour or msa el khir. To talk about the evening in everyday life, people rather say 3chiya (this evening: el 3chiya) or lil for the night. The word on its own therefore belongs to the standard register. Avoid saying msa for "the evening" in an ordinary sentence: the greeting formula remains its only common and natural use.
Example
مساء الخير، لاباس؟
msa el khir, labes?
“Good evening, how are you?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “msa” but also “masa” and “messa”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.