bna بنى
Tunisian Derja · verb
“bna” (بنى) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning to build, construct.
Meanings
- to build, construct
- to found, establish (figurative)
Usage
Bna (imperfect yebni) means to build a house, a wall or a building. It is the ordinary verb for construction work: bna dar (he built a house), qa3ed yebni (he is building). It is also used figuratively for a family, a future or a country: bna ed-dawla. The participle bani means the one who builds, and bni means the construction. Note: the Arabic spelling can be confused with bni (sons, in bni adam). Context tells them apart.
Example
خويا بنى دار جديدة في الحومة
khouya bna dar jdida fil 7ouma
“My brother built a new house in the neighbourhood.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “bna” but also “bne”, “bena” and “bnè”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.