bent بنت
Algerian Darja · noun
“bent” (بنت) is a noun in Algerian Darja meaning girl, young woman.
Meanings
- girl, young woman
- daughter
Usage
Bent means both a girl and someone's daughter, much like the English word "girl" can in some contexts. The plural is bnat. It appears in many expressions of belonging: "bent bladi" (a girl from my country), "bent el houma" (a girl from the neighbourhood), "bent nass" (a girl from a good family). For family relations, one says "benti" (my daughter), "bent khouya" (my niece, my brother's daughter). The term is neutral; the affectionate diminutive is bnita.
Example
عندو بنت وزوج ولاد
3ando bent w zouj wlad
“He has a daughter and two sons.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bent” but also “bnt”, “bint” and “benti”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “bent” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “girl, young woman”; “daughter”: bent in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “daughter (someone's child)”; “girl, young woman”: bent in Tunisian.