Arabic

Verb

يَعْنِي • ‎(yaʿnī) ‎(form I)

1. that is, in other words, meaning (used as filler)
2. third-person masculine singular non-past active indicative of عَنَى ‎(ʿanā)

Verb

يَعْنِيَ • ‎(yaʿniya) ‎(form I)

1. third-person masculine singular non-past active subjunctive of عَنَى ‎(ʿanā)

Descendants

• Bashkir: йәғни ‎(yäğni)
• Turkish: yani

Gulf Arabic

Etymology

From Arabic يَعْنِي ‎(yaʿnī), non-past of عَنَى ‎(ʿanā, “to be on one’s mind, to concern”).

Verb

يعني ‎(transliteration needed)

1. (present only) it means, meaning

Usage Notes

• In the past tense, كان معناته is used, which means "it had had the meaning of (but now it does not carry that meaning)".

Interjection

يعني ‎(transliteration needed)

1. kinda, somewhat

   كان حلو الفلم؟
   يعني بس مو وايد.‎

   Was the movie good?
   Kinda, but not a lot

Usage Notes

• The expression is only used when answering questions.