masso ماصو
Algerian Darja · noun
“masso” (ماصو) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning mason.
Meanings
- mason
- construction worker
Usage
Maço comes from the French "maçon". It refers to the worker who builds walls or a house, and more broadly to the building worker. The word is very common, especially when talking about work done on the house. It is often used to complain about delays or poor work: "el maço ma jach" (the mason didn't come). It is used in the masculine, and its usual plural is "maçowat". Note: the final French n is not pronounced; you say "maço".
Example
الماصو قالي نجي غدوة نكمل الحيط
el maço qalli nji ghodwa nkemmel el 7it
“The mason told me he'd come tomorrow to finish the wall.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “masso” but also “masou”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.