mli ملي
Moroccan Darija · conjunction
“mli” (ملي) is a conjunction in Moroccan Darija meaning when, as.
Meanings
- when, as
- since (time)
- since, given that
Usage
Mli is a very frequent conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause, almost always in the past: mli jit, "when I came". It is also used to mark the starting point in time (mli tzad, "since he was born") and, after an adjective or an expression of thanks, the cause: chokran mli sowelti, "thank you for asking". For a habit or a future, mnin or ila are often preferred. Do not confuse it with the preposition men, "from". The spellings with ll (mlli, melli) represent the same form.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mli” but also “melli”, “mlli”, “meli” and “milli”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “mli” on the Arabic keyboard
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “since, ever since”; “when, whenever”: mli in Algerian.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “since (time)”; “than (after a comparative)”: mli in Tunisian.