fnar فنار
Algerian Darja · noun
“fnar” (فنار) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning harbour lighthouse.
Meanings
- harbour lighthouse
- lantern, lamp
Usage
Fnar first means the lighthouse that guides boats at a harbour entrance. The word is familiar in coastal towns, and several well-known lighthouses are simply called el fnar. Depending on region and generation, it can also mean a lantern or portable lamp. It is used with the article (el fnar) and often with ta3: el fnar ta3 el marsa, "the harbour lighthouse". For a modern flashlight, other words are heard more often, such as torch or lampa.
Example
من بعيد يبان ضو الفنار تاع المرسى.
men b3id iban dow el fnar ta3 el marsa.
“From afar you can see the light of the harbour lighthouse.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “fnar” but also “fanar” and “fner”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.