n3am نعام
Moroccan Darija · noun
“n3am” (نعام) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning ostriches (collective).
Meanings
- ostriches (collective)
- yes? (polite reply to a call)
Usage
As a noun, n3am is the collective of n3ama, "ostrich". It refers to the species or to a group of animals: lḥem n-n3am, "ostrich meat". The same form is also used as a polite reply when someone calls you: n3am?, "yes?", "pardon?". It is more respectful than a simple ah or wah. It is addressed mainly to a parent or an elder, often followed by a title: n3am a mmi, n3am a sidi. Context is usually enough to tell the two uses apart.
Example
كاين واحد الفيرمة ديال النعام قريبة من هنا
kayn wa7ed lfirma dyal n3am 9riba men hna
“There is an ostrich farm near here.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “n3am” but also “naam”, “na3am” and “n3aam”. 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.