ra3i راعي
Algerian Darja · noun
“ra3i” (راعي) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning shepherd, herder.
Meanings
- shepherd, herder
- boor, uncouth lout
- good-for-nothing, aimless person
Usage
Literally, ra3i is the shepherd who tends sheep or goats. The word is also widely used pejoratively, for someone rude, with no manners or upbringing, or for a good-for-nothing who hangs around aimlessly. This figurative sense is hurtful. Context and tone tell the two uses apart. Feminine ra3ya, plural r3yan or r3ayen. Don't confuse it with the verb ra3a, "to pay attention, to respect", or with Standard Arabic ra3i, "protector, patron".
Example
الراعي خرج الغنم للمرعى
er-ra3i khrrej el-ghnem lel-mar3a
“The shepherd took the sheep out to pasture.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ra3i” but also “raai”, “ra3y” and “raa3i”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.