sarrag سراق
Algerian Darja · noun
“sarrag” (سراق) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning thief.
Meanings
- thief
- crook, dishonest person (figurative)
Usage
Sarrag (or serraq) means "thief". It is used both as a noun and as a descriptor: rah sarrag, "he's a thief". The feminine is sarraga and the usual plural is sarragin; the same Arabic spelling can also be read as a plural. Figuratively, it is a frequent accusation against shopkeepers who inflate prices, corrupt officials or leaders. The tone is often accusatory, but the word is not vulgar. The corresponding verb is sreq, "to steal". Depending on the region, the middle letter is pronounced "g" or "q".
Example
داك الحانوتي سراق، باعلي بالغالي.
dak el hanouti sarrag, ba3li bel ghali.
“That grocer is a thief, he sold it to me at a very high price.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sarrag” but also “serrag”, “sarraq”, “serraq” and “sarak”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “sarrag” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “thief”: sarra9 in Moroccan.