mtteham متّهم
Moroccan Darija · noun
“mtteham” (متّهم) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning accused, charged.
Meanings
- accused, charged
- suspected
Usage
Mainly a legal term, used in newspapers and in court, but also in conversation when reporting a case. It works as a noun (lmtteham, "the accused") or as an adjective. In the latter case, it is constructed with b-: mtteham b sser9a, "accused of theft". The feminine is mtthma and the plural is mtthmin. In more familiar use, it is also applied jokingly to someone suspected of some mischief: nta lmtteham, "you're the suspect".
Example
المتهم دخل للمحكمة مع البوليس
lmtteham dkhel lel m7akma m3a lbolis
“The accused entered the courtroom with the police.”
Forms
| feminine | motta8ama |
|---|---|
| plural | motta8amin |
| feminine plural | motta8amat |
Forms as recorded in DODa, in its spelling.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mtteham” but also “motta8am”, “mt8am”, “mottaham” and “mtham”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 8 is light ha (ه) or ghayn (غ), depending on the writer.