Tunisian Football Terminology 101

July 20th, 2008 | by: Rami | Comments(15)

Put eleven players who don’t speak the same language on a soccer field and they will find a way to communicate who will play where and what formation they are going to use (with varying degrees of success depending on skill sets, general footballing knowledge, and adeptness at using hand gestures). Despite this universality, there is something to be said for making an effort to learn a few words of someone else’s language.

The list below is a compilation of football terms and sayings that are used in Tunisia. If you’re traveling to our country, its quite likely you’re going to end up at a cafe or hotel where you will be watching football with local patrons. If you are a player, there will be plenty of opportunities for pickup matches. Tourism is the staple of our economy and the vast majority of Tunisians are polyglots so you would get along just fine with French, English, Italian, Spanish, or German but I can tell you right now that you will endear yourself to us, make more friends, and have a better time if you use even one of these words.

Most of these will work in other Arab countries but you will have more success in the Francophone regions of North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria). The morphology of our dialects reflects the historical and geopolitical affinity that we have with our former colonists.

Disclaimer: You’ll notice that there’s some words that have numbers in them. There’s some sounds that cannot easily be made using an English keyboard so someone (who will forever remain unknown to us) came up with the brilliant idea of using numbers that resemble the Arabic character in question. However, since this isn’t exactly common knowledge to non Arabic readers, I went ahead and used English characters as best I could and then put the numbered version after it where it was necessary. Sorry if this sounds complicated but enough with the explanations. Let’s get on with it!

The Title: Loughat el Koora -The Language of Football (Courtesy of Yassine)

The Basics: (English then Tunisian- with some French mixed in)

Ball: Koora

Field: Terrain, Malaab (Mal3ab)

Player/Footballer: Joueur, Kawarji, La-eb (La3eb)

Goalie: Haris el Marma (7aris el Marma)

Defender: Defenseur, Moudafaa (Moudafa3)

Right back: Moudafaa Aymen (Moudafa3 Aymen), Arriere droit

Left back: Moudafaa Ayser (Moudafa3 Aymen), Arriere gauche

Center Back: Moudafaa al mihwar (Moudafa3 al mi7war), Arriere centrale

Midfielder: Milieu, Wasat Maydan

Defensive Midfielder: Pivot, Milieu Defensif, Wasat Maydan Difa-i (Wasat Maydan Difa3i), Demi

Offensive Midfielder: Milieu offensif, Wasat Maydan Houjoumy

Striker/Attacker: Mouhajem, Attaquant

Center Forward: Raas Harba (Ra2s 7arba), Avant Centre

Referee: Arbitre, Hakam (7akam)

Linesman: Juge de touche, Juge de ligne, Mourakeb Al Khat (Moura9eb AL 5a6), Hakam etasalel (7akkam etasalel)

Fourth Official: El hakam el rabaa (El 7akam el raba3)

Coach: Coach, Entraineur, Moudareb

Stadium: Stade, Mal3ab

Match: Match, Moubarat

Goal posts: Poteau Ka-em (9a2em)

Crossbar: Barre, Transversale, Ardha, (3ardha) (arabic version)

Pass: Tamrira

Cross: Centre (sometimes pronounced “santer”, centrage, tawziaa (tawzi3a)

Header: Rass

Shot: Tasdida, Taswiba, Shoota, Tir

Offside: Tasalel, Hors Jeu

Penalty Kick: Dharbat Jazaa (Dharbat Jaza2), Penalty

Foul: Khataa (5ata2)

Booking: Indhar, Carton

Yellow Card: Waraka Saffra (War9a Saffra)

Red Card: Warka Hamra (War9a 7amra)

Warning: Tanbih

Throw in: Ta-mes

Goal kick: Six metre, Sitta amtar.

Corner kick: Corner, Roukniya

Penalty area: Manatak el Jazaa (Manata9 el Jaza2)

Injury: Isaba

Getting Technical (Tunisian then English)

Wahda Thnin (Wa7da Thnin): Une deux, one two pass.

Tamrira bil Kadam (Tamrira bil 9addam): Backheel

Tawaghel: Penetration

Lamsa, Touche: Touch

Tasadi: It means to “counter” but in this case its used when a defender or goalkeeper gets in the way of a shot.

Adhma, (3adhma), petit pont: Nutmeg

Tamwih, simulation: Diving

Tarkii (Tar9i3): A make up call.

Kasarji: Literally means a “breaker”, someone who commits a lot of nasty fouls. Stems from the french verb “casser.”

Ghaffas: used to describe an unskilled player who makes everything complicated when it could all be so simple.

Technicien: It’s french and it means exactly what you think it does, a technician. The polar opposite of a Ghaffas.

Awwam (3awwam): Literally means “swimmer” but is used to describe a goalkeeper that ventures far from his goal line more than necessary and often results in stupid goals conceded.

Indifaa badany (Indifa3 badany): Physical play

Flip Flap: Virgule

Stepover: Passement de jambes

Sayings: (Tunisian then English)

“Ti Sayeb el koora!” Pass the ball already! Mais lache ta balle!

“Koora fi blaset’ha”: Literally means the ball in its place but it is used to describe a player that makes the correct pass at the correct moment. .

Alaab el koora lil koora: Literally means “play football for football” but is used when a team is playing without hesitancy or calculations in the back of their minds. Just playing soccer for the sake of playing good soccer.

Jbid bih: He pulled away from him, he faked him out.

Fsaa Bih (Fsa3 Bih): “He ran away from him” Run away has a good connotation here. Means the player exhibited quickness (not fear).

Shat’hou (Shat7ou): “He made him dance.” Used when a skilled offensive player jukes a guy multiple times and makes it look like the defender is dancing rather than playing soccer.

Bahta: When there’s an attack taking place and the defenders don’t move or react on time, looking awed by the run of play.

Shoota matarhamsh (shoota matar7amsh): “A ruthless strike.”

Shoota mahboula: a crazy shot

Tayhou (Tay7ou): Made him fall.

Baathou yakdhi (Ba3thou ya9dhi): “He sent him shopping” Said when an attacker jukes out an opposing player so bad that he goes completely the wrong way.

Dhay-ou (Dhay3ou): “He lost him”

Fallet’ha: “He missed it”

Rassou rass el gol: One on one with the goal keeper

Dhaya Fiha (Dhaya3 fiha): He’s completely lost.

Gattou (Gat3ou): Literally means “tore him” but is closer in meaning to “he killed him” with it (could be a pass or a cross).

Mashah ou jabou: “Sent him and brought him” Rather self explanatory, two consecutive fake outs in different directions.

Kaaba la (Ka3ba la): “Not even one” Example: A goalie who is “ka3ba la” is a goalie who sucks…a lot.

Yedribel ib rohou (ro7u): “He’s dribbling himself” Used when an unskilled player is struggling to dribble past his marker. Trying to do everything he can to fake out the opponent but the defender is just standing there waiting for the dribbler to finish his dance.

Alaab passe a passe (Al3ab passe a passe): Used to describe one or two touch football. Basically used when to describe a collective and simple style of play where everyone will be involved. You can yell at someone while saying it if they’re trying to take on the whole other team on their lonesome.

Mraski fil hors jeu: To “raski” in Tunisia is to get on public transportation and not pay for your ticket (when you do that you are “Mraski”). So to be “mraski fil hors jeu” is to be constantly in an offside position. Kind of like “cherry picking” here in the US.

Kathar fiha: Tried to do too much with the ball.

Bountou Makhdoum (Ma5doum): A “well worked” goal.

Shoota attayer (3attayer): In arabic it means to strike the ball “in flight” or “as it is flying” but in English its a lot simpler: Full volley.

Harmou ala baadh’houm (7armou 3ala b3adh-houm): When two players of the same team get in each others way.

Nalaab wella nharram (Nal3ab wella n7arrem): I play or no one plays! People say this when a match is being put together and there’s no space for them on the team. Success is usually dependent on the size, age, and fighting skills of the person in question!

Dazha bih: pushed it past him

Update

Special Thanks to Momo for the additions. I included a few more myself that I had forgotten about.

Ashra eltali (3achra l’tali): This is to describe a very defensive-style play. Means ten in the back or ten behind.

Tekness: To describe a very good dribbler (derived from the previously mentioned technicien)

Aatini Ras (a3tini ras): Give me a header

Aataha hakkha (a3teha 7a9ha): Give a ball its worth (especially when striking)

Ighriss ras: plant a header (head it towards the ground)

Ku d’sizu (Tunisian pronounciation of French Coup de Scissaux) – bicycle kick

Tesaa ou nos (tes3a w nos): Literally nine and a half, a forward playing behind a striker and ahead of an attacking mid.

Placee: a placed shot or pass with the inside of the

Liftee: a shot hit with the outside of the foot (exterieur) that gives it that “out/in” curve.

Arbitre hayyel (arbitre 7ayyel): Unfair referee

Naghar: Sore looser who starts a fight after loosing.

Dakhla (Da5la): A fan group orchestrated pre-game show in the stands (involves huge posters and usually includes some message to opposition). Literally means, “the opening.”

Il yee!: The first thing fans will shout right after their team scores a goal. some people don’t exactly pronounce this way. you will hear “il yey” or “wil yey.” Derived from “Il y est” in French. An exclamation you learn very quickly growing up in Tunisia.

Maalam (M3allem): Means teacher or master (sensei if you will). Example: “Dharbet m3allem” = a master’s strike.

Yetfalsef: Literally means “philosophizing.” When a player is thinking excessively instead of doing. Can also be applied to a coach who “yetfalsef” with his lineup decision, meaning a coach who is experimenting with a lineup that makes no sense (trying to force players into positions that aren’t theirs naturally or not including the best players in the starting lineup etc.)

The End (kind of)

Consider this a working document that can be modified and added to. If you see a saying or phrase missing or that needs correction, drop a comment and I’ll update the post! August is peak tourist season in Tunisia and this could prove useful (and maybe a little overwhelming) if you are visiting us. Then again, if you just want to know how to say “hello” and “thank you” etc. you might want to stick to something like this.