Ways to say it
| Moroccan Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| خليني وحدي | khallini wehdi | |
| سيبني | sibni | let go of me, stop bothering me |
خليني وحدي asks for space or quiet, as in خليني وحدي شوية, 'leave me alone for a bit'. سيبني is sharper and closer to 'let go of me' or 'stop bothering me'.
What does it mean word for word?
خليني means 'let me' or 'leave me', and وحدي means 'alone'. سيبني comes from سيب (sib), 'to let go'.
Which one should you use?
خليني وحدي is a calm request for space. سيبني sounds more annoyed and is used when someone is actively bothering you.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are informal and personal, used with family, friends or someone being pushy, not in formal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Both phrases are used the same way across Morocco.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending ني means 'me'. For 'leave him alone', Moroccans say خليه وحدو (khallih wehdu).
How do you pronounce it?
The stress in خليني falls on the second syllable: kha-LLI-ni.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using سيبني with a stranger over a small matter can sound harsher than intended. خليني وحدي is the safer, calmer choice.
When do people say it?
Asking for space with خليني وحدي can be unusual in a culture where Moroccan family life is often close and talkative, so the phrase is usually understood as a sign that something is genuinely wrong.
Did you know?
- خليني وحدي is built from خلي, 'let' or 'leave', the same verb Moroccans use in خليك, 'stay' or 'take it easy'.
- Because Moroccan social life is usually close and talkative, asking to be left alone is often read as a signal that something is wrong rather than a normal request for privacy.
Examples in context
- خليني وحدي شوية، عندي راسي كايوجعني.khallini wehdi shwiya, 3andi rasi kaywje3ni.Leave me alone for a bit, I have a headache.
- سيبني، ماعندي حتى وقت دابا.sibni, ma 3andi hetta weqt daba.Let go of me, I have no time at all right now.
- خليه وحدو، تعبان اليوم.khallih wehdu, t3ban lyoum.Leave him alone, he's tired today.
Example conversation
Nisrine is stressed about an exam and asks her brother Yassir to stop talking to her.
- Yassirواش بغيتي نعاونك فالمراجعة؟wash bghiti n3awnek f lmuraja3a?Do you want me to help you study?
- Nisrineخليني وحدي دابا، خاصني نركز.khallini wehdi daba, khassni nrekkez.Leave me alone now, I need to focus.
- Yassirواخا، سمحيلي.wakha, smehili.Okay, sorry.
- Nisrineماشي مشكل، شكرا على الفهم.mashi mushkil, shukran 3la lfahm.No problem, thanks for understanding.
