3len علن
Moroccan Darija · verb
“3len” (علن) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to announce, make public.
Meanings
- to announce, make public
- to declare officially
- to advertise
Usage
A verb of a fairly formal register, frequent in the media, administration and official announcements, but also used in everyday speech for important news. It is most often constructed with 3la: 3len 3la qarar (to announce a decision), 3len 3la l-khbar. The present is formed with ka- (kay3len) and the future with ghadi (ghadi n3len). The related noun, i3lan, means an announcement or an advertisement. Pitfall: you don't announce "something" directly, you announce "on" something. For personal information without solemnity, gal or khbbar is more usual.
Example
كانتسنّا فيك ت علن على شي قرار بحال هادا
kantsenna fik t 3len 3la chi 9arar b7al hada
“I'm waiting for you to announce a decision like this one.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kan3ln | 3lnt | |
| nta (you, m.) | kat3ln | 3lnti | 3ln |
| nti (you, f.) | kat3lni | 3lnti | 3lni |
| howa (he) | kay3ln | 3ln | |
| hiya (she) | kat3ln | 3lnat | |
| 7na (we) | kan3lno | 3lnna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | kat3lno | 3lnto | 3lno |
| homa (they) | kay3lno | 3lno |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “3len” but also “3lan”, “3ln”, “a3len” and “3elen”. 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.