3sal عسل
Tunisian Derja · noun
“3sal” (عسل) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning honey.
Meanings
- honey
- sweetheart, darling (affectionate)
Usage
3sal means honey in the literal sense. 3sal 7orr means "pure, natural honey", as opposed to industrial or blended honey. The variety is often specified: 3sal na7la (bee honey), 3sal zgougou, 3sal rozmani. Figuratively, a child or a charming person is called "3sal", and ki el 3sal is used for "delicious, perfect". A pleasant object or situation can also be described this way. The word is used with or without the article (el 3sal). The pronunciation includes the initial 3ayn, which does not exist in English, and it should not be confused with 3assel, a verb form.
Example
نحبّ العسل الحرّ مع الزبدة في الصباح
n7ebb el 3sal el 7orr m3a ezzebda fi sbe7
“I like pure honey with butter in the morning.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3sal” but also “3ssal”, “asal” and “3asal”. 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.