Welcome to your quick guide to speaking Moroccan Arabic (Darija)! This cheat sheet provides essential words and phrases to help you connect with locals, navigate Morocco, and enhance your travel experience.
Make sure to practice the unique Darija sounds, especially those represented by numbers in transcription!
Basic Pronunciation Key:
7: Like a strong ‘h’ from the back of your throat.
3: A guttural sound, like a tight ‘a’ from the throat.
9: An emphatic ‘k’ or ‘g’ from the back of the throat.
kh: Like the ‘ch’ in Scottish “loch”.
gh: A voiced ‘kh’, similar to the French ‘r’.
Greetings & Basic Phrases
English
Darija (Transcription)
Darija (Arabic Script)
Hello
Assalamu alaykum
السلام عليكم
Response to Hello
Wa alaykumu salam
وعليكم السلام
How are you?
Labas?
لاباس؟
I’m fine
Labas / Ana bkhir
لاباس / أنا بخير
Thank you
Shukran
شكراً
Please
3afak
عفاك
Goodbye
Bslama
بالسلامة
Excuse me / Sorry (to male)
Sme7 li
سمح لي
Excuse me / Sorry (to female)
Sm7i li
سمحي لي
No problem
Mashi mushkil
ماشي مشكل
Yes
Iyyeh / Ah
إييه / آه
No
Lla
لا
Key Interjections & Understandings
English
Darija (Transcription)
Darija (Arabic Script)
OK / Agreed
Wakha
واخا
Enough / Finished
Safi
صافي
Let’s go / Come on
Yalla
يالّا
Allah willing
Insha’Allah
إن شاء الله
Thank Allah
Hamdullah
الحمد لله
Nothing
Walou
والو
Essential Questions
English
Darija (Transcription)
Darija (Arabic Script)
What is your name?
Shnu smaytek?
شنو سميتك؟
Where are you from? (m/f)
Mnien nta / nti?
منين نتا؟ / نتي؟
How much is this?
Sh7al hada? / Bsh7al hadi?
شحال هادا؟ / بشحال هادي؟
Where is…?
Feen…?
فين…؟
Do you understand me?
Fhemtini?
فهمتيني؟
Dining & Shopping
English
Darija (Transcription)
Darija (Arabic Script)
I want…
Bghit…
بغيت…
I don’t want…
Ma bghitsh…
ما بغيتش…
Delicious (m/f)
Bnin / Bnina
بنين / بنينة
This is expensive (m/f)
Ghaali / Ghalya bzzaf
غالي / غالية بزاف
Can you lower the price?
Mumkin tnqess liya taman?
ممكن تنقص ليا الثمن؟
Water
Al ma
الما
Coffee
9ahwa
قهوة
Tea
Atay
أتاي
Directions
English
Darija (Transcription)
Darija (Arabic Script)
Left
Lissar
ليسر
Right
Limen
ليمن
Straight ahead
Nishan
نيشان
Here
Hna
هنا
There
Tamma
تما
Numbers (1-10)
English
Darija (Transcription)
Darija (Arabic Script)
One
Wa7ed
واحد
Two
Juj
جوج
Three
Tlata
ثلاثة
Four
Arba3a
أربعة
Five
Khemsa
خمسة
Six
Setta
ستة
Seven
Sab3a
سبعة
Eight
Tmenya
ثمانية
Nine
Ts3ud
تسعود
Ten
3shra
عشرة
Keep this handy! Bookmark this page for easy, on-the-go access to all the essential Moroccan Arabic phrases in this quick guide.
