za3fran زعفران
Algerian Darja · noun
“za3fran” (زعفران) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning saffron.
Meanings
- saffron
- yellow colorant sold as saffron
Usage
Za3fran means saffron, an expensive spice used in certain dishes and pastries. In Algerian markets, cheap yellow colorants are also sold under this name; people then specify "za3fran l7or" or "za3fran s7i7" (real saffron) to distinguish it from the mere colorant, sometimes called mlewwen. The word is neutral and common in cooking. Note: a recipe that calls for "za3fran" may sometimes only be after the yellow color, not the real spice.
Example
حطي شوية زعفران في المرقة
hetti chwiya za3fran fel marga
“Put a little saffron in the sauce.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “za3fran” but also “zaafran”, “zaafrane” and “za3frane”. 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 “za3fran” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “saffron”; “yellow food colouring”: z3fran in Moroccan.