tekber تكبر
Tunisian Derja · verb
“tekber” (تكبر) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to grow up, get bigger.
Meanings
- to grow up, get bigger
- to get older, age
- to act arrogant (tetkabber)
Usage
Tekber is the imperfect form of kber (to grow): "you grow" or "she grows". It is used for a child, for someone getting older, but also for something that increases, such as a problem or a matter. A pitfall: in unvowelled writing, the same spelling can be read as tetkabber, which means "to put on airs, to act arrogant". Context settles it. In "ki tekber tefhem" (when you grow up, you'll understand), it is indeed about growing up.
Example
كي تكبر تفهم
ki tekber tefhem
“When you grow up, you'll understand.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tekber” but also “tikber”, “tekbar”, “tkber” and “tetkabber”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.