brakaj براكاج

Tunisian Derja · noun

“brakaj” (براكاج) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning mugging, street robbery with violence.

Meanings

1. mugging, street robbery with violence

Usage

Brakaj comes from the French word « braquage », but its meaning is broader in Tunisia. It mainly refers to street assault: one or more people threaten someone, often with a knife, to take their phone, bag or money. The word is very common in speech, in the press and on social media. It is used in phrases like "t3arredh l brakaj", "to be assaulted", or "3amlouli brakaj". The plural is brakajet. Pitfall for an English speaker: a brakaj does not necessarily target a bank or a shop.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “brakaj” but also “braquage”, “brakage”, “barakaj” and “brakej”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “brakaj” on the Arabic keyboard