banan بنان
Algerian Darja · noun
“banan” (بنان) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning banana.
Meanings
- banana
Usage
Banan (often pronounced the French way, banane) is the usual word for banana in Algeria. The Standard Arabic term "mouz" is understood but rarely used in conversation. The word is used collectively: "chrit el banan" (I bought bananas). For a single banana, one says "banana" or "habba banan". The banana was long considered an expensive fruit and often comes up in discussions about market prices, which explains its presence in jokes.
Example
شحال راه البنان اليوم في السوق؟
chhal rah el banan el youm f souq?
“How much are bananas at the market today?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “banan” but also “banane” and “bannan”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.