3limen عليمن
Algerian Darja · pronoun
“3limen” (عليمن) is a pronoun in Algerian Darja meaning of whom, about whom.
Meanings
- of whom, about whom
- on whom, against whom
- whom (someone is alluding to)
Usage
A contraction of 3la (on) and men (who), the word is used to ask who is meant or who something is about. It is used with verbs that take 3la: hder 3la (to talk about), y3ayer 3la (to target), tira 3la (to shoot at). It also appears in indirect questions, after ma 3labalich (I don't know) or fhem (to understand). It is common in speech as well as in writing on social media. Pitfall: it does not mean "why", which is 3lach or 3lah. Nor does it replace "about what", which is 3la wach; 3limen refers to a person.
Example
على من راك تهدر؟
3limen rak tehder?
“Who are you talking about?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3limen” but also “3lamen”, “alimen” and “alaimen”. 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.