ta9rib تقريب
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“ta9rib” (تقريب) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning approximately, about.
Meanings
- approximately, about
- almost
- probably, no doubt
Usage
Ta9rib is a very common adverb for giving an approximation: "ta9rib sa3a" (about an hour). It generally goes before the number or expression it modifies. It also expresses a supposition, in the sense of "probably" or "it seems": "ta9rib mouch bech yji" (he probably won't come). It is sometimes heard in the form "b-ta9rib". Pitfall: depending on the context, ta9rib can mean a numerical estimate or a mere guess.
Example
ستنّيت تقريب ساعتين
stannit ta9rib sa3tin
“I waited about two hours.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ta9rib” but also “taqrib”, “takrib”, “ta9riban” and “t9rib”. 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.