mli ملي
Tunisian Derja · conjunction
“mli” (ملي) is a conjunction in Tunisian Derja meaning since (time).
Meanings
- since (time)
- than (after a comparative)
Usage
Mli (or melli) introduces a clause with a conjugated verb and marks the starting point of a period of time: mli jit, "since I came". It often appears in a sentence expressing a lasting state, sometimes a negative one: mli kharajt ma rje3tech, "since I left, I haven't come back". After a comparative, it means "than what": aghla mli kont nhseb, "more expensive than I thought". It is formed from "men" and "elli". It should not be confused with the preposition men, which takes a noun, not a verb. Its register is everyday, in speech and informal writing.
Example
ملّي جيت وهو يخدم.
mli jit w howa yekhdem.
“Ever since I arrived, he has been working.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mli” but also “melli”, “milli”, “mlli” and “meli”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “mli” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “when, as”; “since (time)”: mli in Moroccan.
In Algerian Darja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “since, ever since”; “when, whenever”: mli in Algerian.