زوين
zwin
In Moroccan Arabic, 'pretty' is زوين (zwin) for a man or a thing, and زوينة (zwina) for a woman. If unsure, use زوين.
Meaning: pretty, nice-looking (adj)
Ways to say it
| Moroccan Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| زوين | zwin | |
| زوينة | zwina | feminine form |
زوين and زوينة describe looks, clothes or even a good situation, as in هاد المدينة زوينة, 'this city is pretty'.
What does it mean word for word?
زوين has no clear link to Standard Arabic and functions as a native Darija word of praise, covering both beauty and general approval.
Which one should you use?
زوين/زوينة cover both 'pretty' and simply 'nice', unlike English, which keeps the two ideas more separate.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both forms are used at every level of casual speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word is shared across Morocco and is instantly recognised as Darija by other Arabic speakers.
How does it change in a sentence?
زوين becomes زوينة for feminine and زوينين (zwinin) for plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The stress falls on the first syllable: ZWIN, with a quick w glide.
Did you know?
- زوين stretches to cover both looks and general quality, so Moroccans use the same word for a pretty face and a nice day.
- Chefchaouen, famous for its blue-painted walls, is one of the Moroccan towns most often described as زوينة by both locals and visitors.
Examples in context
- هاد المدينة زوينة بزاف.had lmdina zwina bzzaf.This city is very pretty.
- شريت قميجة زوينة.sherit qamija zwina.I bought a nice shirt.
- الطقس زوين اليوم.ttaqs zwin lyoum.The weather is nice today.
Example conversation
Two friends, Hajar and Driss, visit Chefchaouen for the first time.
- Hajarالمدينة زوينة بزاف هنا.lmdina zwina bzzaf hna.The city here is really pretty.
- Drissواخا، الحيط الزرق زوين بزاف.wakha, lhit zzreq zwin bzzaf.Yes, the blue walls are very nice.
- Hajarخاصنا نتصورو هنا.khessna nteswru hna.We should take pictures here.
- Drissواخا، هاد الزنقة زوينة بزاف.wakha, had zzenqa zwina bzzaf.Okay, this alley is very nice.
