tnach تناش
Moroccan Darija · numeral
“tnach” (تناش) is a numeral in Moroccan Darija meaning twelve.
Meanings
- twelve
- twelve o'clock (noon, midnight)
Usage
Tnach is the number twelve in darija. On its own, it is used for counting or telling the time: "f tnach" (at noon or at midnight, depending on context). Before a noun, the linking -el is generally added, and the noun stays singular: "tnach-el yom" (twelve days), "tnach-el 3am" (twelve years). This is the main pitfall for an English speaker, who would tend to use the plural. In prices, the number can refer to dirhams or ryals depending on the speaker's habit, so you need to ask for the unit to be specified.
Example
عندو تناشل العام
3ando tnach-el 3am
“He is twelve years old.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tnach” but also “tnache”, “tnash”, “tnaach” and “tnch”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.