serbis سربيس
Tunisian Derja · noun
“serbis” (سربيس) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning set of dishes.
Meanings
- set of dishes
- duty, shift, being on call
Usage
Serbis is an adapted loan from French "service". Its most common meaning at home is a matching set of dishes: "serbis mta3 9hwa" (coffee set), "serbis kések" (glass set). It is an important item in a bride's trousseau and in purchases made during the sales. It also means service at work or being on call: "3andi serbis lyoum" (I'm on duty today). The popular plural is "srabes". It is often written as is in Latin letters, but the pronunciation is Tunisian.
Example
شريت سربيس متاع قهوة جديد للدار
chrit serbis mta3 9ahwa jdid lddar
“I bought a new coffee set for the house.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “serbis” but also “sirbis” and “sarbis”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “serbis” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “duty, shift (at work)”; “service (restaurant, customers)”: serbis in Moroccan.