Moroccan Arabic phrasebook

Moroccan Arabic (الدّارِجة, Dārija) is the main spoken language of Morocco. For news programs, media, and official purposes, Modern Standard Arabic is used.

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Hello (informal)

سَلاَم (salām)

Hello. (formal)

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ (as-salāmu 3alaikum), lit. "peace be with you"

The response is: وَ عَلَيكُم السَّلام (wa 3alaikum as-salām), lit. "and peace be with you"

How are you?

كيف داير؟ (kīf dayr?) — masculine singular

كيف دايرة؟ (kīf dayra?) — feminine singular

Fine, thanks be to God.

لا باس الحَمدُ الله (lābās alHamdulillah)

بِ خير الحَمدُ الله (bi-khayr alHamdulillah)

What is your name?

شنو سميتك؟ (shnū smitk?)

My name is ______ .

... سميتي (smitī...)

Nice to meet you.

.متشرفين (mtshrfīn)

Please.

.عَفاك (3afāk)

Thank you.

.شُكراً (shukrān)

You're welcome.

.ماشي مُشكِل. (mashī mushkil), lit. "no problem"

Yes.

.إيه (iyeh)

No.

.لا (lā)

Excuse me. (getting attention)

.سمح ليّا (smaH liyyā)

Excuse me. (asking to move aside)

.بَلاك (balāk)

I'm sorry.

.سمح ليّا (smaH liyyā)

Goodbye.

.بِالسّلامة (bislāma)

Goodbye (informal) — lit. "take care"

.تْهَلّى (t-hallā)

I speak a little Moroccan Arabic.

.كَنِهدِر شوِية ديال الدّاريجة (kanehder shwiya dyāl dārīja)

I can't speak Moroccan Arabic [well].

.[ما كنهدرش بالدارجة [مزيان (mā kanhdarch b-darija [mzyan].)

Do you speak English?

كتهدر النڭليزية؟ (kanehder inglīziyya?) — masculine singular

كتهدري النڭليزية؟ (kanehderī inglīziyya?) — feminine singular

Is there someone here who speaks English?

? ( Wach chi 7add fikom ki3raf l l'anglais?)

Help!

!عاونوني (3awnūnī!)

!واك واك يا عباد الله (wāk wāk yā 3ibād allah!)

Look out!

!هاك شوف (hāk shūf!)

Good morning.

.صَبَاح الخَيْر (SabāH al-khayr): The response is: صَبَاح النُّور (SabāH an-nūr)

Good evening.

.مَسَاء الخَيْر (masā2 al-khayr): The response is: مَسَاء النُّور (masā2 an-nūr)

Good night.

.لَيلة سعيدة (layla sa3īda)

Good night (to sleep)

.تُصْبِحُ عَلَى خَيْر (tuSbiHu 3alā khayr)

I don't understand.

.مافهِمتش (māfhemtsh)

Where is the toilet?

فين بيت الما؟ (fīn bīt al-mā?):فين طواليت؟ (fīn Twālīt?)

problem

مُشكِل (mushkil) | plural: مَشَاكِل (mashākil)

No problem.

.ماشي مُشكِل (mashī mushkil)

The numbers 3 through 10 have a short form that is used with an object.

1

واحد (wāHd) — masculine: واحدة (wāHda) — feminine

2

جوج (jūj) or زوج (zūj):Note: This numeral differs from Modern Standard Arabic, اِثْنَيْن (ithnayn), but Moroccan Arabic uses a similar word when combining two and another number (e.g., twenty-two): تنِين (tnīn).

3

تلاتة (tlata): The short form is: تلت (tlt)

4

ربعة (rb3a): The short form is: ربع (rb3)

5

خمسة (khmsa): The short form is: خمس (khms)

6

ستّة (stta): The short form is: ستّ (stt)

7

سبعة (sb3a): The short form is: سبع (sb3)

8

تمنية (tmnya): The short form is: تمن (tmn)

9

تسعود (ts3ūd): The short form is: تسع (ts3)

10

عشرة (3shra): The short form is: عشر (3shr)

20

eshren

50

khamsun

100

mya

200

meyten

500

hamsamaa

1,000

al-ef

2,000

alf-en

5,000

hamsaalef

waqt

What time is it?

Chhal raha sar-a?

Monday

Tnin

Tuesday

Tlat

Wednesday

larb3a

Thursday

lkhmis

Friday

jem3a

Saturday

sebt

Sunday

l7edd

black

كْحَل (k7al)

white

بْيَض (byaD)

red

حمَر (7mar)

yellow

صفَر (Sfar)

green

خضَر (khDar)

blue

زرَق (zraq)

orange

ليموني (līmūnī)

brown

قَهوي (qahwī)

naql

Tobis/tran

itijahat

There are two types of taxis in Morocco. While they are often referred to by their French name (petit taxi, for short distances; grand taxi, for inter-city travel), especially when talking with tourists, signs may refer to them like so:

Petit taxi (small taxi): طاكسي صغير (Tāxi sghīr), or, in Casablanca and other cities where they are red, طاكسي حمراء (Tāxi Hamrā2).

Grand taxi (big taxi): طاكسي كبيرة (Tāxi kabīra) or, in Casablanca and other cities where they are white, طاكسي بيضاء (Tāxi bayDā2).

Flous

I am vegetarian

ana nabati/ ana vegetarien

Tea without sugar

atay messous

Bar

Shopping/t'kedya

Sougan

Fin hya l koumisarya?

• Abdel-Massih, Ernest T. (2011). An Introduction to Moroccan Arabic. Ann Arbor: MPublishing. (ISBN 978-1-60785-218-6). Open access textbook available via HathiTrust.