salem سالم
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“salem” (سالم) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning safe and sound, unharmed.
Meanings
- safe and sound, unharmed
- intact, in good condition
Usage
Salem is mostly used for someone who comes back or gets through without harm: after a trip, an accident or an illness. It agrees in gender and number: salma in the feminine, salmin in the plural. You hear it in wishes such as "trajja3 salem" (may you come back safe and sound) or after an incident, "el 7amdoulillah jé salem". It can also describe an object that has remained intact. Note: Salem is also a very common male first name in Tunisia. In a text, context alone often distinguishes the name from the adjective.
Example
الحمد لله رجع من السفر سالم
el 7amdoulillah rja3 mel safar salem
“Thank God, he came back from the trip safe and sound.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “salem” but also “sallem”, “saalem” and “salim”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.