ni9abi نقابي
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ni9abi” (نقابي) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning trade unionist.
Meanings
- trade unionist
- union (adjective)
Usage
Ni9abi means a trade unionist, especially a member or official of the UGTT, which is very present in Tunisian public life. It is also used as an adjective: "3amal ni9abi" (union action), "mas'oul ni9abi" (union official). The feminine is "ni9abia" and the plural "ni9abiyin". The word often appears in political debates and on social media, sometimes with a critical charge. Do not confuse it with "ni9aba" (the union itself).
Example
خويا نقابي في التعليم.
khouya ni9abi fi tta3lim.
“My brother is a trade unionist in education.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ni9abi” but also “nkabi”, “naqabi”, “ne9abi” and “nigabi”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.