nabbah نبه
Tunisian Derja · verb
“nabbah” (نبه) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to warn, alert.
Meanings
- to warn, alert
- to draw someone's attention
- to caution, reprimand
Usage
Nabbah means to alert someone to a danger or a mistake, or to draw their attention to a point. The construction is direct: "nabbah ech-chabeb", "he warned the young people". The subject matter is specified with 3la: "nabbahni 3la…". The word suits both everyday speech and public discourse. In Arabic script without vowels, the form can be confused with other words, and context settles it. The corresponding noun is tanbih, "warning".
Example
نبّهتو على الطريق أما ما سمعش الكلام.
nabbahtou 3al tri9 ama ma sma3ch el kleim.
“I warned him about the road, but he didn't listen.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “nabbah” but also “nabbeh”, “nabah” and “nabeh”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.