mabin مابين
Tunisian Derja · preposition
“mabin” (مابين) is a preposition in Tunisian Derja meaning between (two things).
Meanings
- between (two things)
- among, in the midst of
Usage
Mabin is a reinforced variant of bin, "between". It is used to place something in space, in time or on a price scale: mabin sab3in w thmanin, between seventy and eighty. It is also found when comparing or distinguishing two things: ma famech far9 mabin hédha w hédhak, there is no difference between this and that. The second term is introduced by w (and), never by another preposition. With a pronoun, one rather says binétna (between us) or binétkom (between you).
Example
الدار مابين الجامع والحمّام
e-dar mabin ej-jéma3 wel 7ammam
“The house is between the mosque and the hammam.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mabin” but also “mabine” and “mabeen”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.