idan إدن
Moroccan Darija · conjunction
“idan” (إدن) is a conjunction in Moroccan Darija meaning therefore, so.
Meanings
- therefore, so
- so, then (to prompt or conclude)
Usage
A word from Standard Arabic, well established in the speech of Moroccans, especially educated ones. It goes at the start of the sentence to draw a conclusion or pick up a line of reasoning: idan nta mwafe9? ("so you agree?"). Its register is a little more refined than that of ya3ni or iwa, which are more spontaneous in speech. It is often heard in explanations, debates and questions checking understanding. It should not be confused with adan, the call to prayer, which is sometimes written the same way in arabizi.
Example
إدن راه كلشي الخطأ ديالها
idan rah kolchi lkhata2 dyalha
“So it's all her fault!”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “idan” but also “2idan”, “idane” and “idhan”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 2 is hamza (ء), a glottal stop.