wrayqa وريقة
Tunisian Derja · noun
“wrayqa” (وريقة) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning small sheet, scrap of paper.
Meanings
- small sheet, scrap of paper
- small form, slip to fill in
Usage
Wrayqa is the diminutive of warqa, "sheet, paper". It refers to a small sheet or scrap of paper: a scribbled note, a slip, a receipt, a ticket. The diminutive can also play something down or make it affectionate, like the French "petit papier". It is used mostly in speech, in an informal register. Common plural: wrayqat. The dual is formed with -tin: wrayqtin, "two small sheets". In some informal contexts, the word also serves as a euphemism, and its precise meaning then depends on the situation. When in doubt, it is best to stick to the literal meaning of "scrap of paper".
Example
عطيني وريقة نكتب فيها النومرو متاعك.
3tini wrayqa nekteb fiha ennoumrou mte3ek.
“Give me a scrap of paper so I can write down your number.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “wrayqa” but also “wray9a”, “wrayka”, “wriqa” and “wraiqa”. 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.