na3na3 نعناع
Tunisian Derja · noun
“na3na3” (نعناع) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning mint (aromatic herb).
Meanings
- mint (aromatic herb)
- sprig or bunch of mint
Usage
Na3na3 means fresh mint, which is very common in cooking and above all in Tunisian tea. Tey bel na3na3 is mint tea. The word is also used for a bunch bought at the market: 3archa na3na3 or mazwa na3na3. Mint goes into salads, cold drinks and some dishes. In everyday use the word is invariable and is not pluralised. For dried mint, say na3na3 yebes. Note: the word does not mean French-style mint syrup, which is usually called sirop.
Example
حطّلي شويّة نعناع في التاي
7otli chwaya na3na3 fil tey
“Put a little mint in my tea.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “na3na3” but also “n3na3” and “na3ne3”. 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.
Type “na3na3” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “mint (aromatic herb)”: n3na3 in Moroccan.