3omri عمري
Tunisian Derja · expression
“3omri” (عمري) is an expression in Tunisian Derja meaning never (with negation).
Meanings
- never (with negation)
- my darling
- my life, my age
Usage
3omri literally means "my life, my age". It is mainly used to express "never", in the construction 3omri ma + past-tense verb: 3omri ma chfet, "I have never seen". The possessive changes with the person: 3omrek ma, 3omrou ma. It is also a term of endearment for a child, a relative or a loved one: ya 3omri, "my darling". A common pitfall is to think that 3omri alone means "never". The negation ma is still indispensable. Nor should it be confused with the first name Omri.
Example
عمري ما مشيت لجربة
3omri ma mchit l jerba
“I have never been to Djerba.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3omri” but also “3oumri”, “omri”, “oomry” and “3omry”. 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.