3jen عجن
Tunisian Derja · verb
“3jen” (عجن) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to knead (dough).
Meanings
- to knead (dough)
- to work or mix by hand
Usage
3jen is the everyday verb for kneading dough: bread, tabouna, mlawi, pastries. It is used constantly in cooking, in recipes as at home. The imperfect is ya3jen, and 3jinn refers to the dough itself. The intensive form 3ajjen (na3jnou, n3ajnou) emphasizes long, careful kneading. The verb also applies to working a mixture by hand, such as minced meat with spices. The register is neutral and familiar.
Example
نعجّنوا مليح و نخلّيوها ترتاح نصف ساعة
Na3jnou mlih w n5aliwha terte7 nosf se3a
“We knead it well and let it rest for half an hour.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3jen” but also “3ajjen”, “ya3jen” and “3jin”. 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.