bayra بايرة
Algerian Darja · adjective
“bayra” (بايرة) is an adjective in Algerian Darja meaning woman unmarried past the usual age.
Meanings
- woman unmarried past the usual age
- (land) left fallow
Usage
Bayra is the feminine form of bayer, which describes uncultivated land. Applied to a woman, the word means one who has not married at the age when it is expected. It is clearly pejorative and hurtful: it is heard in gossip, quarrels or nasty jokes, and many consider it sexist. It should be avoided in front of the woman concerned and in any respectful context. An English speaker should know that it is not a simple statement of marital status like "single": the word carries a social judgment. The masculine form bayer exists but is used much less for people.
Example
قعدت بايرة وما حبتش تتزوج
9a3det bayra w ma habbetch tetzewwej
“She stayed a spinster, she didn't want to get married.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bayra” but also “baira” and “bayera”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.