مش

See also: مس‎ and ـمش‎

Egyptian Arabic

Etymology

From underlying Arabic مَا هُوَ شَيْء‎ (mā huwa šayʾ) and Arabic مَا هِيَ شَيْء‎ (mā hiya šayʾ). The gender distinction was eventually lost, leaving miš, muš as interchangeable or regional variants.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /miʃ/, /muʃ/

Particle

مِش or مُش • (miš or muš)

not
‏أنا مش مصري.‎‎
ʾana miš maṣri.
I'm not Egyptian.

Moroccan Arabic

Etymology

From a Berber language. Compare Central Atlas Tamazight ⴰⵎⵓⵛⵛ (amušš).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /muʃː/
Audio (file)
Audio (file)

Noun

مش • (mušš) m (plural مشاش‎ (mšāš), feminine مشة‎ (mušša))

cat
Synonym: قط‎ (qaṭṭ)

South Levantine Arabic

Etymology

Contraction of ماهوش (mahúš, mahūš, “it is not”), obtained by applying the negative circumfix ما ...ـش‎ (mā ...-š, “not”) to pronouns like هو‎ (hū, “he; it”). Can be traced piecewise to Arabic مَا + هُوَ + شَيْء‎ (mā + huwa + šayʾ, literally “it is not one thing”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /miʃ/, [mɪʃ]

IPA^(key): /muʃ/, [mʊʃ]
Audio (Ramallah) (file)

Particle

مش • (miš or muš)

not (used to negate a nominal phrase)
‏أنا مش فلسطيني.‎‎
ʔana miš falasṭīni
I'm not Palestinian.
Audio (Ramallah) (file)

Tunisian Arabic

Etymology

From underlying Arabic مَا هُوَ شَيْء‎ (mā huwa šayʾ).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /muʃ/

Particle

مش (muš)

not
‏آنا مش تونسي.‎‎
ʾāna muš tūnsi.
I am not Tunisian.