Meaning
Indicating that an action happened two times.
Cultural Background
The proverb 'A believer is not stung from the same hole twice' is widely used to praise wisdom and caution. In Lebanon and Syria, 'martayn' is often used as a polite way to decline a third helping of food, implying the first two were plenty. Egyptians might use 'marrateen' with a specific hand gesture (two fingers) to emphasize they are not joking about a repetition. Many ritualistic phrases (like 'Allahu Akbar' at certain points) are repeated twice, making the concept of 'marratayn' spiritually resonant.
Master the Dual
Learning 'marratayn' is your gateway to the dual system. Apply the same '-ayn' logic to 'yom' (day) to get 'yomayn' (two days).
Avoid 'Ithnayn'
Never say 'ithnayn marra.' It marks you as a beginner immediately.
Meaning
Indicating that an action happened two times.
Master the Dual
Learning 'marratayn' is your gateway to the dual system. Apply the same '-ayn' logic to 'yom' (day) to get 'yomayn' (two days).
Avoid 'Ithnayn'
Never say 'ithnayn marra.' It marks you as a beginner immediately.
The 'Twice' Rule
In Arab hospitality, if someone offers you something twice, they really mean it. If they offer once, it might just be 'ta'arof' (politeness).
Dialect Shortcut
If you struggle with the full MSA pronunciation, 'martayn' is accepted and understood everywhere.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'twice'.
زرتُ دبي _______ في حياتي.
Since the context implies 'two times,' the dual form 'marratayn' is correct.
Which sentence is more natural in Arabic?
How do you say 'I called you twice'?
The dual form 'marratayn' is the standard way to express 'twice' as an object.
Complete the dialogue.
أحمد: هل قرأت هذا الكتاب؟ خالد: نعم، قرأته _______ لأفهمه جيداً.
The context of 'reading it to understand it well' often implies a second reading.
Match the phrase to the situation.
فكر مرتين قبل أن تقرر.
'Think twice' is a common idiomatic piece of advice.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Frequency in Arabic
Singular
- • مرة واحدة (Once)
Dual
- • مرتين (Twice)
Plural
- • ثلاث مرات (3 times)
- • عدة مرات (Several times)
Practice Bank
4 exercisesزرتُ دبي _______ في حياتي.
Since the context implies 'two times,' the dual form 'marratayn' is correct.
How do you say 'I called you twice'?
The dual form 'marratayn' is the standard way to express 'twice' as an object.
أحمد: هل قرأت هذا الكتاب؟ خالد: نعم، قرأته _______ لأفهمه جيداً.
The context of 'reading it to understand it well' often implies a second reading.
فكر مرتين قبل أن تقرر.
'Think twice' is a common idiomatic piece of advice.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt is neutral and used in all registers, from news broadcasts to street slang.
'Marratan' is the nominative case (subject), while 'marratayn' is accusative/genitive (object). In speech, 'marratayn' is used almost exclusively.
Yes, you can say 'da'f' (double) or 'aghla marratayn' (twice as expensive).
You switch to the plural: 'thalath marrat.' The dual form is only for two.
Not exactly. 'Again' is 'marra ukhra' or 'thaniyatan.' 'Marratayn' is specifically a count of two.
It's just a dialectal shift in the vowel sound, common in Egyptian Arabic.
Yes, it appears several times, often regarding double rewards or double punishments.
Yes: 'asra' marratayn.'
The root is M-R-R, meaning to pass or go by.
In some places, people just say 'double' (دبل), but 'marratayn' is never out of place.
Related Phrases
مرة واحدة
similarOne time / once
عدة مرات
builds onSeveral times
مراراً وتكراراً
specialized formOver and over again
ثانية
similarAgain / second
