الحين

Gulf Arabic

Etymology

ال (al-, “definite article marker”) + حين (“time”); same as South Levantine Arabic الحين (al-hīn). Compare Hijazi Arabic دحين. The word حين is not in common use, being fossilised in these adverbs.

Pronunciation

• (Kuwait) IPA^(key): /ɪlˈħin/, /əlˈħin/

Adverb

اِلْحين or اَلْحِين • (ɪlḥīn or əlḥīn)

1. now

   Antonym: بعدين (bə3den)

South Levantine Arabic

ال (al-, “definite article marker”) + حين (“time”). Same as Gulf Arabic الحين; compare also Hijazi Arabic دحين. The word حين is not in common use, being fossilised in these adverbs.

Adverb

الحين • (al-ḥīn)

1. (regional) now

   Synonyms: هلا (halla), هسا (hassa), إسا (ʔissa), هلقيت (halʔēt)

Usage notes

• There are many words used for "now" in South Levantine Arabic. هلا (halla, hallaʔ) is the most common word in urban dialects, also used in Lebanon and Syria. In formal contexts, the Standard Arabic الْآنَ (al-ʔān, il-ʔān) is used.