borj برج
Moroccan Darija · noun
“borj” (برج) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning tower (tall structure).
Meanings
- tower (tall structure)
- zodiac sign
Usage
Borj means a tower: an old fortification tower, a watchtower on the ramparts, or a very tall building. The word appears in many place names and monuments in Morocco, which makes it very familiar. The usual plural is bráj. In another use, borj means the astrological sign: chnou borjek?, "what's your sign?". This sense is frequent in horoscope columns and among young people. Borj is not used for "tour" in the sense of turn (taking turns). For that idea, use nouba, "it's your turn".
Example
طلعنا للبرج وشفنا المدينة كاملة
tl3na l lborj w chefna lmdina kamla
“We went up the tower and saw the whole city.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “borj” but also “bourj” and “burj”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “borj” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “tower (building)”; “fort, fortress”: bordj in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “tower (tall building)”; “zodiac sign”: borj in Tunisian.