# Algerian Arabic: Food going off



## mini91

Would like to know what the Algerian word is to describe when food has gone off or become inedible
Thank you!


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## ayed

mini91 said:


> Would like to know what the Algerian word is to describe when food has gone off or inedible
> Thank you!


_elakil mkhammij/khammaj
_


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## mini91

Thank you! I suppose that is the where the word 'khamja' comes from in order to describe something as  unclean etc


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## ayed

mini91 said:


> Thank you! I suppose that is the where the word 'khamja' comes from in order to describe something as unclean etc


Some Najdian Badawi in Saudi call the palm dates wetted with some drops of water , became ruined and taste awful " _tamr mkhammij_" or _tamr khimeej._لسن العرب:
وخمج اللحم يخمج خمجا : أروح وأنتن . وقال *أبو حنيفة **: **خمج اللحم خمجا ، وهو الذي يغم وهو سخن فينتن . وقال مرة : خمج خمجا : أنتن . **الأزهري **: **وخمج التمر إذا فسد جوفه وحمض *​


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## Schem

I didn't know that word used in Algeria! Interesting.


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## makandés66

Maybe Algerians use the word خايب like Moroccans do on some occasions for bad or rotten things.  I ask any native speakers if you could also use داز which means "passed"  دازت الماكلة


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## amelesperanza

In Algeria we would rather say (more often), "al makla khasrat" or "al makla khamjet".


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## Xence

mini91 said:


> Would like to know what the Algerian word is to describe when food has gone off or become inedible



_al-makla fesdet/khasret/khamjet_  الماكلة فسدت/خسرت/خمجت




			
				makandés66 said:
			
		

> ]Maybe Algerians use the word خايب like Moroccans do on some occasions for bad or rotten things. I ask any native speakers if you could also use داز which means "passed" دازت الماكلة



I am not aware of such usages.


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## A-class-act

Xence, gave you the right words! _al-makla fesdet/khasret/khamjet الماكلة فسدت/خسرت/خمجت_


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## hero04dz

الماكلة فاسدة / مارقة / عيانة / خامجة / ماشي مليحة / ...


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## makandés66

one more suggestion please let me know if this works, يا اصحابنا الجزائريين how about تسنّه I saw this in the hans weir and I think it has to do with the food passing its time...


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## makandés66

What about زنخ يزنَخ
talking about turning rancid. Is this used in Algeria?


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## Xence

hero04dz said:


> الماكلة فاسدة / مارقة / عيانة / خامجة / ماشي مليحة / ...



The words in red only refer to a bad quality of the food.




			
				makandés66 said:
			
		

> one more suggestion please let me know if this works, يا اصحابنا الجزائريين how about تسنّه I saw this in the hans weir and I think it has to do with the food passing its time...



As far as I know, this verb is rather Classical Arabic (see Quran 2:259). I have never heard it in Algeria.



			
				makandés66 said:
			
		

> What about زنخ يزنَخ
> talking about turning rancid. Is this used in Algeria?



I don't think so. In my area we use the verb *خمل *. Other words may be used in other areas, but I would be surprised to see *زنخ *among them.


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## ajamiyya عجمية

Xence said:


> I don't think so. In my area we use the verb *خمل *.



Hello there.  That's interesting.  I know this root, with a shadda on the mim, as a word for cleaning/straightening up.  For instance, you might say,"محال باش نخرج قبل ما  نخمل ألكوزينا"


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## Xence

Hi ajamiyya,

That's also interesting. Would you mind to tell about the area where this is used.
In my area, *خمّل *with a shadda means to collect stuff, for example رايح نخمّل قشّي/حوايجي.


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## ajamiyya عجمية

Hello Xence et al,

My apologies for the delay.  

Generally, I have heard this word used for "cleaning-up" by people from Casablanca and Rabat who are originally Riyyafa from the Hoceima area.  Specifically, I remember hearing it used by an elderly lady who considered herself an original inhabitant of Casa, which, as we all know --while an old city-- has but recently developed into a major city.  I couldn't tell you if the use is pervasive throughout Morocco. 

It does seem that the two meanings are correlated in that, when you straighten things up, you are gathering them, in a manner of speaking.  It seems to me that جمع(ي) لقشاوش/لحوايج is the most common way I have heard people instruct others, as it were, to straighten-up/put away toys and clothes, but I may be wrong.  

Thank you.


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## ajamiyya عجمية

makandés66 said:


> Maybe Algerians use the word خايب like Moroccans do on some occasions for bad or rotten things.  I ask any native speakers if you could also use داز which means "passed"  دازت الماكلة



Hello.  This use of "food has passed" to mean "food is inedible" is not one with which I am familiar, in English.  Nevertheless, it seems to me that دازت الماكلة is a calque for a more literal meaning of the verb "to pass".  When I hear it, I imagine a tray of food floating through the air, passing somebody by.


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## makandés66

I have heard "pass" in the context that "the food is past its expiration date" or the "tomatoes are past their prime" which made me think that "the food has passed" was an expression used. True, if the context of expiration is clear, one could say it, but without it, it would never pass.


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## tounsi51

In Tunisia we use also *خمّل *and the same meaning as ajamiyya, for example, "n5amel ldar" (I am cleaning up the house)


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## Xence

ajamiyya,

Thanks for your response.
It seems there is much to say about خمّل, but I am afraid we are going off topic here.


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