l3en لعن
Moroccan Darija · verb
“l3en” (لعن) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to curse.
Meanings
- to curse
- to swear at
Usage
The verb l3en (imperfect yel3en) means "to curse". It often appears in insults of the form l3en + a relative's name, which are very vulgar and best avoided. The most common expression is harmless, though: l3en chitan, literally "curse the devil", is used to calm someone down, meaning "calm down, let it go". The passive participle mel3oun means "cursed" and can also be used informally for a cunning or sly person.
Example
ما تبقاش تلعن فالناس
ma tbqach tel3en f nnas
“Stop cursing people.”
Conjugation
Forms as recorded in DODa and reproduced in its spelling, which often leaves out short vowels.
| Imperfective (present) | Perfective (past) | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ana (I) | kanl3en | l3ent | |
| nta (you, m.) | katl3en | l3enti | l3en |
| nti (you, f.) | katl3ni | l3enti | l3ni |
| howa (he) | kayl3en | l3en | |
| hiya (she) | katl3en | l3nat | |
| 7na (we) | kanl3no | l3nna | |
| ntouma (you, pl.) | katl3no | l3ento | l3no |
| homa (they) | kayl3no | l3no |
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “l3en” but also “la3n”, “le3en” and “l3n”. 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.