rjel رجل
Algerian Darja · noun
“rjel” (رجل) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning foot.
Meanings
- foot
- leg
Usage
Pronounced rjel (plural rjlin), the word covers both the foot and the leg; context makes it clear. Frequent expressions: "b rjlih" or "3la rjlih" ("on foot"), "rjli tewja3ni" ("my foot or leg hurts"). It also refers to the leg of a piece of furniture. Important pitfall: the same spelling without vowels can also be read rajel, "man", very common in writing. "Tahya la rajel" or "hadak rajel" refer to the man, not the foot. Only pronunciation and context settle it.
Example
رجلي توجعني بزاف
rjli tewja3ni bezzaf
“My foot hurts a lot.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “rjel” but also “rjl”, “rejl”, “rdjel” and “rijl”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “rjel” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “foot”; “leg”: rjel in Moroccan.