3zzi عزي
Moroccan Darija · verb
“3zzi” (عزي) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning offer condolences.
Meanings
- offer condolences
- console, comfort
Usage
3zza means to go and offer condolences to a bereaved family. It is an important social duty: you visit the relatives of the deceased, often within the three days after the death. The construction is direct: 3zza fih or 3zzah, "he offered him his condolences". The noun l3za means both condolences and the funeral wake; you say ma3ndhom l3za, "they are in mourning". The usual formula is lbaraka f rasek. By extension, the verb can mean "to comfort" someone.
Example
سير عزي ولد عمك
sir 3zzi weld 3emek
“Go and offer your condolences to your cousin.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3zzi” but also “3zza”, “3azzi” and “3ezzi”. 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.