za3ma زعم
Tunisian Derja · adverb
“za3ma” (زعم) is an adverb in Tunisian Derja meaning supposedly, allegedly.
Meanings
- supposedly, allegedly
- like, I mean
- do you think, really? (question)
Usage
Za3ma is a very common discourse word, in speech and on social media. It first marks doubt or irony about what is being reported: howa za3ma mrigel, "he's supposedly decent". It also serves as a filler, like "like" or "I mean", to rephrase or soften a statement. At the start of a question, it expresses uncertainty: za3ma yji?, "do you think he'll come?". In Tunisia, it is not a conjugated verb meaning "to dare". It is almost always an invariable particle, in a colloquial register. Tone often makes the difference between sincere doubt and sarcasm.
Example
هو زعمة يخدم، أما ديما في القهوة
howa za3ma yekhdem, ama dima fel 9ahwa
“He supposedly works, but he's always at the café.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “za3ma” but also “zaama”, “z3ma” and “zaema”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 3 is ayn (ع), a voiced sound from deep in the throat with no English equivalent.