skinjbir سكينجبير
Moroccan Darija · noun
“skinjbir” (سكينجبير) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning ginger.
Meanings
- ginger
Usage
Skinjbir is the usual word for ginger, generally sold dried and ground at the 3attar (spice seller and herbalist) or in the souk. It is a staple spice of Moroccan cooking, used in tajines, harira and spice blends. It is asked for by weight: rab3a dyal skinjbir (a quarter pound of ginger). Fresh ginger root is also called skinjbir, sometimes specified as trab or 3rouq depending on the region. Pronunciation and spelling vary: sknjbir, skenjbir.
Example
رجع عند العطر أو جيب ليا ربعة ديال سكينجبير
rje3 3end l3atar ou jib liya rab3a dial skinjbir
“Go back to the spice seller and bring me a quarter pound of ginger.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “skinjbir” but also “sknjbir”, “skenjbir” and “skinjbire”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.