qobla قبلة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“qobla” (قبلة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning kiss (formal register).
Meanings
- kiss (formal register)
- qibla, direction of Mecca
Usage
In the sense of "kiss", qobla belongs to a formal register, close to standard Arabic. It is found mostly in writing and in expressions of tribute: "qobla 3la jbinek", "a kiss on your forehead", to express respect and gratitude. In everyday conversation, a Tunisian would rather say "bousa". Pronounced qebla, the same word refers to the qibla, that is, the direction of prayer. This usage is common in speech, for example "wajjah lel qebla", "turn toward the qibla". Only context distinguishes the two senses.
Example
قبلة على جبين أمّك اللي ربّاتك
qobla 3la jbin ommek elli rabbatek
“A kiss on the forehead of the mother who raised you.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “qobla” but also “9obla”, “kobla”, “qebla” and “9ebla”. 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.