3ajez عاجز
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“3ajez” (عاجز) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning unable, incapable of acting.
Meanings
- unable, incapable of acting
- weak, lacking strength (age, illness)
- impotent (sexually)
Usage
3ajez describes someone who cannot manage to do something. The typical construction is 3ajez bech followed by a verb: 3ajez bech yemchi, "unable to walk". It is also used alone for an elderly or sick person who can no longer cope. The feminine is 3ajza and the plural 3ajzin. In some contexts, especially among adults, the word refers to male sexual impotence. It is therefore best to avoid calling a man 3ajez without specifying what he is incapable of. The register is everyday.
Example
بوه ولى عاجز ما ينجمش يخدم
bouh wella 3ajez ma ynajjemch yekhdem
“His father has become helpless, he can no longer work.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3ajez” but also “3ajiz”, “ajez”, “3ejez” and “ajiz”. 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.