ya9in يقين
Tunisian Derja · noun
“ya9in” (يقين) is a noun in Tunisian Derja meaning certainty, firm conviction.
Meanings
- certainty, firm conviction
- firm faith
Usage
ya9in expresses certainty. In Tunisia it is heard mainly in the phrase "3la ya9in": "ena 3la ya9in" (I am certain). The word is of a rather formal register, close to Standard Arabic, and appears frequently in commentary, speeches and religious vocabulary, where it denotes firm faith. In casual conversation, people more often say "mét2akked" or "mta2akked" for "sure". A common mistake is to omit "3la" before ya9in.
Example
أنا على يقين إلّي باش ينجح.
ena 3la ya9in elli bech yenje7.
“I am certain he is going to succeed.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ya9in” but also “yakin”, “yaqin” and “ye9in”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Digits stand in for Arabic letters that have no Latin equivalent: 9 is qaf (ق), a k pronounced at the back of the throat.