sjin سجين
Tunisian Derja · noun
“sjin” (سجين) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning prisoner, inmate.
Meanings
- prisoner, inmate
Usage
Sjin means prisoner or inmate. It belongs to a more formal register, that of the media and political discussions: sjin ra2y (prisoner of conscience), sjin siyesi (political prisoner), sjin 7arb (prisoner of war). In everyday conversation, people more readily say masjoun or use a phrase with l'7abs: howa fel 7abs (he is in prison). The plural is sjouna, the feminine sjina.
Example
طلقوا السجين بعد عامين.
tal9ou essjin ba3d 3amin.
“They released the prisoner after two years.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sjin” but also “sajin”, “sjine”, “sajine” and “sjeen”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.