nif نيف
Algerian Darja · noun
“nif” (نيف) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning nose.
Meanings
- nose
- pride, self-respect, honour
Usage
Nif is the usual word for "nose": nifi, my nose; nifou, his nose. Figuratively, it means pride, honour, the refusal to lower oneself. It is a central value of Algerian culture. 3andou nif is said of a proud man who does not let himself be humiliated. One also hears the expression nif w l7orma, "pride and dignity". Depending on context, this sense can be positive (dignity) or negative (arrogance, touchiness). In a debate, the word almost always refers to honour rather than anatomy.
Example
ضربني في نيفي وسال الدم
drabni f nifi w sal eddem
“He hit me on the nose and it bled.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “nif” but also “nnif”, “neef”, “nyf” and “nifou”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “nif” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “nose”; “pride, self-respect”: nif in Moroccan.