Ways to say it
| Moroccan Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بنين | bnin | |
| بنينة | bnina | feminine form |
| طعمو زوين | ta3mu zwin | its taste is nice |
بنين is said about food right after tasting it, as in هاد الطاجين بنين بزاف, 'this tagine is very delicious'. طعمو زوين is a lighter way to say a dish's taste is nice.
What does it mean word for word?
بنين has no Standard Arabic equivalent and is treated as a native Darija word for taste. طعمو means 'its taste', from طعم, 'taste' or 'flavour'.
Which one should you use?
بنين is the direct, enthusiastic word for delicious. طعمو زوين is milder and more descriptive, closer to 'it tastes nice'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
بنين is used at every level of politeness, from a quick comment at home to a compliment to a host.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word is shared across Morocco and used for any dish, sweet or savoury.
How does it change in a sentence?
بنين agrees in gender and number with the food: بنين for a masculine word like طاجين, بنينة for a feminine word like حريرة, and بنينين (bninin) for plural dishes.
How do you pronounce it?
Both n's are clearly pronounced, and the stress falls on the first syllable: BNIN.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes use the Standard Arabic لذيذ (ladhidh), which Moroccans understand but which sounds formal compared to the everyday بنين.
When do people say it?
Complimenting the cook with بنين right after the first bite is expected at a Moroccan table, staying quiet can be read as a sign the food was not enjoyed.
Did you know?
- بنين has no accepted link to Standard Arabic and is one of the everyday Darija words, like مزيان and بزاف, that native speakers use without thinking of them as borrowed or formal.
- Staying quiet instead of saying بنين after a Moroccan host's meal can be read as a quiet sign the food was not enjoyed.
Examples in context
- هاد الطاجين بنين بزاف.had ttajin bnin bzzaf.This tagine is very delicious.
- الحريرة ديالك بنينة.l-harira dyalek bnina.Your soup is delicious.
- شكون طيب هاد الماكلة؟ بنين بزاف!shkun tayyeb had l-makla? bnin bzzaf!Who cooked this food? It is very delicious!
Example conversation
Amine compliments his grandmother Zahra on her cooking after Friday lunch.
- Amineالكسكس بنين بزاف يا جدتي.l-keskes bnin bzzaf ya jeddti.The couscous is very delicious, grandma.
- Zahraبالصحة والراحة وليدي.bssaha w rraha wlidi.Enjoy it, my son.
- Amineواخا نبقى نكل شوية مزيان؟wakha nebqa nakel shwiya mzyan?Can I have a bit more?
- Zahraكول ما بغيتي، كاين بزاف.kul ma bghiti, kayn bzzaf.Eat as much as you want, there's plenty.
