i7raj إحراج
Moroccan Darija · noun
“i7raj” (إحراج) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning embarrassment, awkwardness.
Meanings
- embarrassment, awkwardness
- awkward situation
Usage
I7raj means embarrassment or awkwardness. It often appears in the phrase "bla i7raj", which introduces a delicate remark: "no offense" or "without meaning to offend you". You also say "7tt-ni f i7raj" (he put me in an awkward position). The word belongs to a rather formal register. In casual speech, embarrassment is more often expressed with "l7chma" (shame, modesty) or with the verb "7chem". Do not confuse the two: l7chma also refers to moral restraint, whereas i7raj remains a situational embarrassment.
Example
بلا إحراج, مامتأكدش بلا راك معروف بزاف بين البنات
Bla i8ana, mamt2kkedch bila rak m3rof bzaf bin lbnat
“No offense, I'm not sure you're all that well known among the girls.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “i7raj” but also “ihraj”, “2i7raj” and “e7raj”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 2 is hamza (ء), a glottal stop; 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.