tjarra تجرا
Tunisian Derja · verb
“tjarra” (تجرا) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to dare, have the audacity to.
Meanings
- to dare, have the audacity to
- to take liberties with someone
Usage
Tjarra means "to dare" or "to have the nerve to". It is often used in the negative or interrogative: "ma tjarra 7add" (nobody dared), "kifech tjarra?" (how did he dare?). With the preposition 3la, it takes on the sense of "to go after" or "to disrespect" someone: "tjarra 3lih". The register is neutral but often disapproving. The word is close to standard Arabic but is commonly used in speech. For an English speaker, the difficulty lies in the construction: it can be followed by bech and a verb to say "dare to do".
Example
حتّى حد ما تجرّى يحكي معاه
7atta 7add ma tjarra ya7ki m3ah
“Nobody dared speak to him.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tjarra” but also “tjara” and “tjarre”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.