sayem صايم
Tunisian Derja · adjective
“sayem” (صايم) is an adjective in Tunisian Derja meaning fasting, observing the fast (Ramadan).
Meanings
- fasting, observing the fast (Ramadan)
- fasting, on an empty stomach
Usage
Sayem describes someone who is observing the fast, especially during Ramadan: ena sayem, "I am fasting". The feminine is sayma and the plural is saymin. The word is also used outside a religious context to mean that one has not yet eaten anything, for example before a blood test. It is often heard as an excuse or justification: one is irritable or tired "because one is sayem". The related verb is sam, isoum, "to fast". The word is common and neutral.
Example
ما نجمش ناكل، أنا صايم
ma nejjamch nekel, ena sayem
“I can't eat, I'm fasting.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sayem” but also “sayim”, “saiem”, “sayme” and “saim”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.