“Past” (noun) in Tunisian Arabic

In Tunisian Arabic, “Past” (the noun) is written using the Latin script as:

9bal

Using the Arabic script, it is written as:

قبل

(Editor’s note: In Tunisian Arabic, 9bal / قبل is an adverb. In Fos7a, the term الماضي / El madhi, does mean the past, however, this term would be very uncommon to see in use in the Tunisian dialect.)

 

Listen to these two words pronounced (audio)

 

Examples in sentences or statements

 
“It’s in the past.”

Saret 9bal.

.صارت قبل

 
“I lived there in the past.”

3echt 8adi 9bal.

.عشت غادي قبل

 
“I worked at that restaurant in the past.

5demt fel restaurant heka 9bal.

.خدمت فالرستورن هكا قبل

 
“I used to be a server in the past.”

5demt serveur 9bal.

.خدمت سرفور قبل

 
“This area used to be less busy in the past.”

El blasa hedhi kenet afragh 9bal.

.البلاصة هذي كانت أفرغ قبل

 

Related words in Tunisian Arabic

“Future” (noun) in Tunisian Arabic

In other Mediterranean languages and dialects

“Past” in Lebanese Arabic