3mal rou7ou عمل روحو
Tunisian Derja · expression
“3mal rou7ou” (عمل روحو) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning to pretend, feign.
Meanings
- to pretend, feign
- to put on airs
Usage
"3mal rou7ou", literally "he made himself", means "he pretended". It is followed by an adjective or a verb: "3mal rou7ou mridh" (he pretended to be sick), "3mal rou7ou ma sma3ch" (he acted as if he hadn't heard). The pronoun changes with the person: 3malt rou7i, 3malt rou7ek, 3malet rou7ha. On its own, said in a scornful tone, it also means to act self-important. The expression is very common and belongs to the informal register.
Example
شافني وعمل روحو ما يعرفنيش.
chafni w 3mal rou7ou ma ya3rafnich.
“He saw me and pretended not to know me.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3mal rou7ou” but also “3mal rouhou”, “aamel rou7ou” and “3mel rou7o”. 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; 7 is ha (ح), a breathy h from the throat.