9ayem قايم
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“9ayem” (قايم) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning awake, up.
Meanings
- awake, up
- standing
Usage
9ayem is the active participle of 9am, "to get up". It first means "awake, up", as opposed to r9ed, "asleep". It is said in the morning or late at night: enti 9ayem? ("are you awake?"). It can also describe someone who is standing. The feminine is 9ayma and the plural is 9aymin. Be careful not to confuse it with sayem, "fasting", which sounds similar. The register is informal and everyday.
Example
مازلت قايم؟ الساعة جات وحدة
mazelt 9ayem? sa3a jet we7da
“Are you still up? It's one o'clock.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “9ayem” but also “qayem”, “gayem” and “9aiem”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.