mnin منين

Moroccan Darija · adverb

“mnin” (منين) is an adverb in Moroccan Darija meaning where from (interrogative).

Meanings

1. where from (interrogative)
2. when, once
3. how come, in what way

Usage

Mnin is the original interrogative: mnin nta? ("where are you from?"), mnin jay? ("where are you coming from?"). Pitfall: mnin also serves as a temporal conjunction, meaning "when, once". Mnin tji, 3eyyet liya means "when you arrive, call me". In that case, no origin is involved. Finally, mnin sometimes expresses astonishment or doubt: mnin jaha zin? ("where would she get beautiful from?"), that is, "in what way is she beautiful?" Only context and intonation allow you to tell these three uses apart.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mnin” but also “mnine”, “mneen” and “menin”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “mnin” on the Arabic keyboard

In Algerian Darja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “from where?, from which place?”; “which way, through where”: mnin in Algerian.

In Tunisian Derja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “from where, from what place”; “which way, through where”: mnin in Tunisian.