zouz زوز
Tunisian Derja · numeral
“zouz” (زوز) is a numeral in Tunisian Derja meaning two (number).
Meanings
- two (number)
- a pair, both
Usage
Zouz is the common Tunisian form for "two". Before a noun, it comes first and the noun stays plural: zouz dyar (two houses), zouz sourdi (two sous, i.e. almost nothing). The classical form ithnin is hardly used outside telling the time or certain set phrases. One also says zouz bi zouz (two by two) and ezzouz (both). Pitfall: zouz is not used with a noun in the dual. For the few nouns that keep a dual, such as days, months or years, one says youmin (two days), not zouz youmin.
Example
شريت زوز خبزات من الحانوت
chrit zouz khobzet mel 7anout
“I bought two loaves of bread at the grocery.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “zouz” but also “zouzz”, “zoz” and “zuz”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.