rajel راجل
Algerian Darja · noun
“rajel” (راجل) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning man.
Meanings
- man
- husband
- brave, trustworthy man
Usage
Rajel is the everyday word for an adult "man". The plural is rjal or rjala. It is also used to mean "husband": rajli, "my husband", has a familiar nuance. It often carries a moral value. To call someone rajel, or rajel w nos, is to praise their courage, their keeping of their word and their sense of responsibility. Conversely, machi rajel is a harsh reproach. The expression rajel ta3 familia means a good family man. Keep in mind that the compliment is strong and is aimed at character, not physique.
Example
خويا راجل، كي يوعد يوفي.
khouya rajel, ki you3ed youfi.
“My brother is a man of his word: when he promises, he delivers.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “rajel” but also “radjel”, “rajl”, “rajal”, “ragel” and “errajel”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Its Arabic spelling is not fixed either: you will find راجل and الراجل, all the same word.
Type “rajel” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
The same word also exists in Moroccan Darija, written الراجل, where it means “man”; “husband”: rajel in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “man”; “husband”: rajel in Tunisian.