3awtani عاوتّاني
Moroccan Darija · adverb
“3awtani” (عاوتّاني) is an adverb in Moroccan Darija meaning again, once more.
Meanings
- again, once more
- once again (annoyance)
Usage
3awtani is the fused form of 3awd tani, "again". It is a very common word in speech. It marks the repetition of an action: rje3 3awtani, "come back again". Placed at the start of a sentence and followed by a noun, it often expresses weariness or annoyance, like English "Again...!" It can also accompany a negative imperative for an insistent reminder: "don't do it again". Spellings are numerous, with or without the d (3awdtani, 3awtani). Its position in the sentence is fairly free.
Example
عاوتاني نفس لهدرا
3awtani nefs lhedra
“The same discussion again.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3awtani” but also “3awttani”. 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.