How to say “supposedly” in Darija
In Algerian, you say “za3ma” and “z3ma”; in Tunisian, “za3ma”.
In Algerian Darja
za3ma زعما
A particle meaning “supposedly, allegedly”; “like, I mean, for example”; “as if”.
زعما راه يخدم، وهو قاعد غير في الدار: “Supposedly he's working, when he's just sitting at home.”
z3ma زعمة
A particle meaning “supposedly, allegedly”; “by any chance (in questions)”; “like, I mean”.
زعمة راهو خدام، وهو قاعد في الدار.: “Supposedly he's working, yet he's sitting at home.”
In Tunisian Derja
za3ma زعم
An adverb meaning “supposedly, allegedly”; “like, I mean”; “do you think, really? (question)”.
هو زعمة يخدم، أما ديما في القهوة: “He supposedly works, but he's always at the café.”