za3fan زعفان
Algerian Darja · adjective
“za3fan” (زعفان) is an adjective in Algerian Darja meaning angry, upset.
Meanings
- angry, upset
- annoyed, in a bad mood
Usage
Za3fan is the common adjective for saying a person is upset or angry. It is used mostly with rani, rak or raha to describe a present state: rani za3fan, "I'm angry". The feminine is za3fana and the plural is za3fanin. It is often used for a falling-out between people who are close, like "he's giving me the silent treatment": rah za3fan m3aya. It can also describe a passing sulky mood with no particular cause. The register is informal but neutral. The word is not vulgar.
Example
علاش راك زعفان معايا؟
3lach rak za3fan m3aya?
“Why are you angry with me?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “za3fan” but also “za3fane”, “za3faan”, “zaafan” and “z3fan”. 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.
Type “za3fan” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “angry, upset”; “sulky, in a huff”: z3fan in Moroccan.