tnez طنز
Moroccan Darija · verb
“tnez” (طنز) is a verb in Moroccan Darija meaning to mock someone, to be ironic.
Meanings
- to mock someone, to be ironic
- mockery, irony (noun)
Usage
Tnez is mostly used with the preposition 3la: tnez 3lih, "he mocked him". The word implies ironic mockery, often by saying the opposite of what one thinks. The question wach katTnez 3liya? ("are you making fun of me?") is very common when you suspect someone of not being serious. The noun tanz refers to irony or sarcasm, for example in "kaygoulha b tanz" ("he says it ironically"). This word is colloquial and common, both in speech and online. The tone can be light or hurtful depending on the context.
Example
واش كاتطنز عليا ولا بصح؟
wach katTnez 3liya wla bssa7?
“Are you making fun of me, or is it true?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tnez” but also “tanz”, “tnz” and “tenz”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.