“Instead of…” in Tunisian Arabic

In Tunisian Arabic, “Instead of…” (the common phrase that preludes a speaker stating or asking what is preferred over an incumbent option)  is written using the Latin script as:

Fi 3oudh…

Using the Arabic script, it is written as:

…في عوض

(Editor’s note: In Tunisian Arabic, the phrase “Instead of” and the word “Instead” are both translated as Fi 3oudh / في عوض. For more information see the IBL page, “Instead of” in Tunisian Arabic.)

(Editor’s note: In Tunisian Arabic, the phrase “Instead of” can also be translated as Fi blaset / في بلاصة. Fi 3oudh / في عوض is thought to be derived from Standard Arabic (Fos7a) (In Fos7a “Instead of” is translated as عوضاً عن), whereas, Fi blaset / في بلاصة is thought to be derived from French. (e.g., In Tunisian Arabic Blasa means Place) So Fi blaset effectively means “In the place of”. Both of these phrases, Fi 3oudh / في عوض and Fi blaset / في بلاصة are considered synonymous and widely used amongst Tunisian Arabic speakers.)

Listen to this phrase pronounced (audio)

 

 

Examples in sentences or statements

 
“What do you want to eat instead of pasta tonight?”

Chnowa t7eb tekel el lila fi 3oudh ma9rouna?

شنوّا تحب تاكل اليلة في عوض مقرونة؟

 
“Where do you want to eat instead of this restaurant?”

Win t7eb tekel fi 3oudh el restaurant hedha?

وين تحب تاكل في عوض الرستورون هذا؟

 
“Where do you want to go instead of the beach?”

L win t7eb temchi fi 3oudh el b7ar?

لوين تحب تمشي في عوض البحر؟

 
“What do you want to watch instead of this show?”

Fi chnowa t7eb tetfarej fi 3oudh el barnemej hedha?

في شنوّا تحب تتفرّج في عوض البرنامج هذا؟

 
“I’d prefer a cup of tea instead of coffee.”

N7eb kes tey fi 3oudh 9ahwa.

.نحب كاس تاي في عوض قهوة