sbe9 سبق
Tunisian Derja · verb
“sbe9” (سبق) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to get ahead of, arrive before someone.
Meanings
- to get ahead of, arrive before someone
- to precede in time
- (sbe9 w…) to have already done
Usage
Sbe9 (imperfective yesbe9) means "to get ahead of, to be first". On social media, people often write sba9tni, "you beat me to it", when someone has posted the same idea before them. The verb takes a direct object: sbe9ni lel khedma, "he got to work before me". The construction sbe9 w or sabe9 w, followed by a verb, comes from the standard register and means "I already…": sbe9 w 9oltlek, "I already told you". There is also the adverb mesbe9, "in advance", and the noun sab9, "advance, down payment".
Example
سباقتني يا مخبّي2986 مخبّي1853 عبد النور هههه
Sba9tni ya m5abbi2986 m5abbi1853 Abdennour hhhhh
“You beat me to it, m5abbi2986 m5abbi1853 Abdennour, hahaha.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sbe9” but also “sba9”, “sbe9t”, “sbaq” and “sabe9”. 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.