Ways to say it
| Tunisian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شنية | shniya | |
| شني | shni | shorter, same meaning |
شنية is used constantly in questions, from simple everyday ones to more detailed requests for explanation. The shorter شني means exactly the same thing and is just as common.
What does it mean word for word?
شنية has no simple word-by-word breakdown, it is the everyday Tunisian dialect form standing in for Standard Arabic ماذا.
Which one should you use?
شنية and شني are interchangeable, with the choice mostly coming down to personal habit or regional preference within Tunisia.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both forms are used in daily informal speech, with very formal writing switching to Standard Arabic ماذا instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
شنية is distinctly Tunisian, different from the Levantine شو and the Moroccan أش or شنو for the same meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
شنية does not change form and can start a question or stand alone as a surprised 'what?'
How do you pronounce it?
شنية is said as one quick unit, with the stress on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using the Levantine شو in Tunisia is understood from media, but شنية sounds like natural local speech.
Did you know?
- شنية and the shorter شني are both distinctly Tunisian, setting the dialect apart from the Levantine شو and Moroccan شنو for the same word.
- Said alone with rising surprise, شنية؟ works as a complete exclamation meaning 'what?!'
Examples in context
- شنية هذا؟shniya hedha?What is this?
- شني تحب تاكل؟shni thebb takol?What do you want to eat?
- شنية؟ ما فهمتش.shniya? ma fhemtesh.What? I didn't understand.
Example conversation
Walid asks his sister Amal about a package on the table.
- Walidشنية هذا الباكي؟shniya hedha el-paki?What is this package?
- Amalشي جاء ليك من البوسطة.shi ja lik mil-boosta.Something came for you from the post.
- Walidشني فيه بالضبط؟shni fih bid-dabt?What's exactly inside it?
- Amalما نعرفش، ما حليتوش.ma na3rafsh, ma halitoush.I don't know, I haven't opened it.
