ray راي
Algerian Darja · noun
“ray” (راي) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning opinion, view.
Meanings
- opinion, view
- decision, choice
- raï (music genre)
Usage
Ray first means opinion or view: "wech rayek?" (what do you think?), "hada rayi" (that's my opinion). It also refers to a decision one makes: "derti ray mlih" (you made a good choice). The word often takes suffixed pronouns: rayi, rayek, rayou. Finally, raï is the name of the popular music genre born in western Algeria, known in France under this spelling. Context is enough to tell the senses apart. The word is common, neutral and used in all registers.
Example
واش رايك في هادي؟
wech rayek f hadi?
“What do you think of this one?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ray” but also “rai”, “raï”, “ra2y” and “rayy”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 2 is hamza (ء), a glottal stop.
Type “ray” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “opinion, view”; “idea, decision (changing one's mind)”: ra2y in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “opinion, view”; “idea, suggestion”: ray in Tunisian.