msaw7eb مصوحب
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“msaw7eb” (مصوحب) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning having a girlfriend / boyfriend.
Meanings
- having a girlfriend / boyfriend
- having an extramarital affair
Usage
Msaw7eb is said of someone who has a romantic relationship outside marriage, with a sa7ba (girlfriend) or a sa7ib (boyfriend). The word is colloquial and common, especially among young people: enti msaw7ba ? ("are you seeing someone?"). With 3la followed by the spouse, msaw7eb 3la mratou means "he is cheating on his wife". The word then carries a tone of reproach. Feminine: msaw7ba; plural: msaw7bin. The corresponding verb is saw7eb, "to go out with someone". Note: the word does not mean "accompanied" in the neutral sense.
Example
خويا مصوحب من عامين
khouya msaw7eb men 3amin
“My brother has had a girlfriend for two years.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “msaw7eb” but also “msawheb”, “msaw7ib” and “mesaw7eb”. 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.