there was a saying in derja something like “al maktoob mumanna hroub” or “al maktoob mamannu hroub”
i keep confusing which one it is, please clarify that for me, thanks.
Mumanna is definitely not right. The saying is “Elmaktoob ma menno hroub”, and it’s not Darija. The negation structure “ma menno” screams Middle Eastern colors, that’s for one. For two, we don’t say lmaktoub, we say lmktâb. For those who don’t know the word, it means destiny. Referring to the Muslims’ belief in destiny being already “written” by God Almighty. Hence, the literal meaning of mktâb, written.
Ohhh i see, so its not an exclusive saying to moroccans as i thought. It’s such a beaytiful saying, i love it.
Thanks a loooot. =)
It’s a nice one indeed.
And oh, coming to think of it… The Maghreb version of it could me: Lmktôb, mâ mnnôsh hrôb.
wow.
Jzakallah kheir
[quote=LallaAïcha]wow.
Jzakallah kheir[/quote]
Err… A small remark if you permit. I notice a lot of people use Jazakallah Kheir as an expression, no matter who they are talking to. I saw some use it as “Jazakallah Kheir everyone”. It would be more correct if you conjugate it: Jazaki Allahu khayran. And for the plural: Jazakomu Allahu khayran. (MSA)
Now for Darija, we say: Allah yjazik/kom bikhir.
For those who don’t know what it means, it’s a thank you expression, which literally means: May God reward you with something good.
So what is the translation? Destiny is not written? What is the meaning of hroub? How do you distinguish
‘written’ from ‘desk’ or ‘writing table’?
[quote=MalikRumi]So what is the translation? Destiny is not written? What is the meaning of hroub? How do you distinguish
‘written’ from ‘desk’ or ‘writing table’?[/quote]
Hroub, from hrb, to run away.
Lmktoub ma mennou hroub = You can’t run away from your destiny.
Desk is mktab, and destiny is mktâb. The long A makes a difference.
For written we use the word mktôb, for destiny we use mktâb.
Wow, that was fast. Thx.
Super Girl is here :).
Welcome.
bismillah al rahman al rahim
sma7ou liya, don’t want 2 horn in, but shall we say mektaab ou mektoub for destiny? 3mri ma sm3tch ‘mektaab’ hakak, dima 'mektoub ', b7al “Mektoub” diyal Nabil Ayouche w Rachid al Ouali…you use both in your explanation:
"we don't say lmaktoub, we say lmktâb."
"The Maghreb version of it could be: Lmktôb, mâ mnnôsh hrôb."
"For written we use the word mktôb, for destiny we use mktâb."
so now i am confused??
w sma7i liya, ghadi ndir chi introduction vite, w tbarak allah 3leki, this forum is like a dream come true.
I like that :D.
Of course you can jump into any conversation. 3andk doww khDr. (you got the green light)
I was actually expecting someone to ask this question, since I realized that my answers were confusing.
Please always remember that there are slight differences in Darija accents across the country. My jaw always drops when I hear someone from Oujda say “wah” for yes.
So for me, I say mektaab for destiny, not mektoub. That’s how I always heard it. If Nabil Aouche used Mektoub, then it’s either that they use it like that in Casa, or that it was an attempt to make the word standardized.
In my first post, I focused more on correcting the “ma mennou” versus “ma mnnôsh” part, than the destiny part.
My final word: I use mktôb for something literally written (ashnô mktôb f hâd lwrqa? What’s written on this page?). And I used mktâb for destiny. Sâfî, akhir taman :D. (Wink-wink to all those who are good in bargaining f ssôq).
Yes please, bâsh 7ttâ 7nâ nrr7bô bîk. You are a native, aren’t you?
Bl7qq your nickname is intriguing… Is it “ach mn far?” :hap: Or “Ach mn fara?” (Joke)
akhir taman-- safi ana nkhdha!
allah hafdik alalla SM! very clearly put. also to consider: en anglais on dit “what is written” or “what is destined”, two different expressions, nfs lm3na…though the arabic example is harder to picture because ‘destiny’ and ‘what is written’ are from the same root, the same idea applies yak?
umm…ach min far9 as in ach min far9, bayn tfa7 w rmana, ach min far9 ma bayn nta, nta, nta, wana?..hope that doesn’t ruffle you the wrong way
I am a Native, but not in the way that you mean :)-- my friends say I am the Mrikani Birkani. I’m sure you will see how much help I need!
or rather more like: rah lfarq 3dim ma bayn tfa7 w rmana wach min far9 ma bayn nta, nta, nta, wana…
aaanyway, Mektoub, not my favorite, but I enjoyed it:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179338/
you can also find lfilm kamil on youtube, though i won’t post the link 
LOL i only understand about 2% of the darja conversation but even that 2% made me giggle, chukran bzaaaaf SM o achminfar9, Allah ykhllikom 
My contacts are mainly Casawis and Ribaatis, but I recall it being, “maktoub” rather than “matkab”… of course, there is always the chance that I am morphing what I hear into what I think it ought to be, being an admitted Fus7alizer. It’s also possible that people adjust their speaking for my ears, but I doubt that, after all these years. I do hear the differences when some people say “yn3al” for “yal3n”, and I know that Ribaatis say “Buustaddar” rather than “bi wust Addar”… and I can tell you that the amount of money meant by a ‘riyal’ differs between Tangiers and Casa… and the people of Tanja (Tangiers) use a lot more Spanish in their dialect… but who asked me, right?
ya Lalla Aicha just a reminder. allah ykhlikom is masri (egyptian), shami (palestinian, lebanese, syrian), maybe also khaliji (from the gulf)?..in morocco, laykhalik means s’il vous plait ;)…for this expression of thanks and hoping that He subhana w t3la will take care of this person, you can say ‘allah hafdak(om)’, ‘allah yjzk(om) bkhir’, or about 100 other little phrases…my personal favorite-- allah ir7am babak (your father)!
Achminfar9 as far as i know Allah ykhlikom or Allah ykhllik functions in two ways, one is to ask a favour and the otehr is just a praise or complement to the person. But i aint no expert so… i can’t prove it.