najjem نجم
Tunisian Derja · verb
“najjem” (نجم) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to be able to, can.
Meanings
- to be able to, can
- to bear, to stand (negated)
- star (written register)
Usage
Najjem is the most common Tunisian verb for "can". It is conjugated and followed directly by another conjugated verb, with no infinitive: nnajjem nji (I can come), ynajjem y3awen (he can help). In the negative, one says ma nnajjemch; m3adech nnajjem means "I can't take it any more". It replaces the standard yastatee3, which is rarely used in speech. Written without vowels, نجم can also be read najm, "star", but that sense belongs mostly to writing; in speech, one says njma instead.
Example
شكون عندهم معلومة ينجّم يعاون بها
Chkou 3ndoum 3louma ynjim y3wen behaa
“Who has some information they can help with?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “najjem” but also “nejjem”, “nnajjem”, “najem”, “ynajjem” and “najm”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.