sid سيد
Tunisian Derja · noun
“sid” (سيد) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning master, lord.
Meanings
- master, lord
- Mister (formal title)
- saint, in place names
Usage
Sid designates someone who holds authority: the master, the lord. It is found mostly in fixed expressions such as "sid rouhou" (his own master). With the possessive, sidi means "my lord". It is also a formula of respect, and in some families the word designates the grandfather. Before the name of a saint or a place, it enters place names such as Sidi Bou Saïd. The form sayed, closer to Standard Arabic, serves as an official title ("es-sayed er-raïs", Mr President) in the media and in speeches. In conversation, the short form si is used instead before a first name.
Example
هو سيد روحو، ما يستنّى حتّى حدّ
howa sid rou7ou, ma yestanna 7atta 7ad
“He is his own master, he waits for no one.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sid” but also “sayed”, “said”, “sayyed” and “sidi”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.