tab3an طبعا
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“tab3an” (طبعا) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning of course, obviously.
Meanings
- of course, obviously
- naturally
Usage
Tab3an is used to agree with something obvious or to answer with an emphatic "of course": "Tji ? — Tab3an !" ("Are you coming? — Of course!"). It can open a sentence or comment on it afterwards. It is often used with an ironic nuance to point out that something was predictable. The word comes from Standard Arabic, but it is fully common in spoken Tunisian. It coexists with more colloquial equivalents: akid (certainly) and mel 3ada, or the French "bien sûr", which is also very frequent. The 3 in arabizi marks the guttural sound.
Example
طبعا نجي معاك، ما نخليكش وحدك
tab3an nji m3ak, ma nkhallikch wa7dek
“Of course I'm coming with you, I won't leave you alone.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tab3an” but also “tabaan”, “tab3a” and “taba3an”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.