li ل
Moroccan Darija · preposition
“li” (ل) is a preposition in Moroccan Darija meaning to, toward (destination).
Meanings
- to, toward (destination)
- for, to (recipient)
Usage
L- is a very frequent preposition. It first marks destination: mcha l-Fas (he went to Fès), sir l-dar (go home). It also introduces the recipient: 3ti l-khouk (give it to your brother). Before a definite noun, it merges with the article: l-lmdrasa is pronounced lelmdrasa. With pronouns, it becomes li-: liya (to me), lik (to you), lih (to him), liha (to her). Since the preposition is often written either separate from or attached to the noun, it is hard to spot.
Example
سير ل فس
sir l fes
“Go to Fès.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “li” but also “l”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “li” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “to, towards (direction)”; “for, on behalf of”: el in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to, toward (direction)”; “for, to (recipient)”: li in Tunisian.