Darija phrases for your trip to Morocco
66 everyday Moroccan Arabic phrases: in Latin letters, in Arabic script, and with an easy "say it" guide. Capital letters show the stressed part of a word.
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Common phrases
One page per phrase, with Arabic script, gender forms and real examples.
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Greetings & Basics
Moroccans greet a lot. A warm salam opens every door.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello (peace be upon you) | salamu 'alaykum | السلام عليكم | sa-LAA-moo a-LAY-koom |
| Reply: and upon you peace | wa 'alaykum s-salam | وعليكم السلام | wa a-LAY-koom s-sa-LAAM |
| Hi | salam | سلام | sa-LAAM |
| Good morning | sbah l-khir | صباح الخير | sbah l-KHEER |
| Good evening | msa l-khir | مسا الخير | msa l-KHEER |
| How are you? (m) | kidayr? | كيداير؟ | kee-DAYR |
Polite Words
A few polite words make bargaining and asking for help much easier.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Please (m) | 'afak | عافاك | AA-fak |
| Please (f) | 'afaki | عافاكي | AA-fa-kee |
| Thank you | shukran | شكرا | SHOO-kran |
| Thank you very much | shukran bezzaf | شكرا بزاف | SHOO-kran bez-ZAAF |
| Please (warm; lit. 'may God keep you') | llah ykhellik | الله يخليك | lah ykhel-LEEK |
| You're welcome | bla jmil | بلا جميل | bla JMEEL |
Question Words
Put these at the start of a sentence and you can ask almost anything.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| What? | shnu? | شنو؟ | SHNOO |
| Where? | fin? | فين؟ | FEEN |
| When? | fuqash? | فوقاش؟ | foo-QAASH |
| Who? | shkun? | شكون؟ | SHKOON |
| Why? | 'lash? | علاش؟ | a-LAASH |
| How? | kifash? | كيفاش؟ | kee-FAASH |
Essential Verbs
These short phrases cover most travel needs.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| I want ... | bghit ... | بغيت ... | BGHEET |
| I don't want ... | ma bghitsh ... | ما بغيتش ... | ma BGHEETSH |
| I have ... | 'andi ... | عندي ... | AN-dee |
| I don't have ... | ma 'andish ... | ما عنديش ... | ma an-DEESH |
| I need ... | khassni ... | خاصني ... | KHAS-nee |
| I'm going to ... | ana ghadi l- ... | أنا غادي لـ ... | A-na GHAA-dee l- |
Getting to Know People
Moroccans love to ask where you are from. Expect tea and questions!
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| What's your name? | shnu smitek? | شنو سميتك؟ | SHNOO smee-TEK |
| My name is ... | smiti ... | سميتي ... | smee-TEE |
| Nice to meet you | metsharfin | متشرفين | met-shar-FEEN |
| Where are you from? (m) | mnin nta? | منين نتا؟ | mneen NTA |
| Where are you from? (f) | mnin nti? | منين نتي؟ | mneen NTEE |
| I'm from America | ana men amirika | أنا من أمريكا | A-na men a-MEE-ree-ka |
In the Souk: Money & Bargaining
Bargaining is normal and friendly. Smile, take your time, and be ready to walk away.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | bshhal hada? | بشحال هادا؟ | bsh-HAAL HAA-da |
| How much is it? (f. object) | bshhal hadi? | بشحال هادي؟ | bsh-HAAL HAA-dee |
| It's expensive | ghali | غالي | GHAA-lee |
| Too expensive | ghali bezzaf | غالي بزاف | GHAA-lee bez-ZAAF |
| Can you lower the price? | nqes shwiya 'afak | نقص شوية عافاك | NQES SHWEE-ya AA-fak |
| What's your last price? | bshhal akhir taman? | بشحال آخر تمن؟ | bsh-HAAL AA-kheer TA-man |
Taxi & Getting Around
Petit taxis work inside the city; ask the driver to use the meter (le compteur).
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi! | taksi! | طاكسي! | TAK-see |
| To the airport, please | l-l-matar 'afak | للمطار عافاك | l-l-ma-TAAR AA-fak |
| To the train station | l-lagar | للگار | l-la-GAAR |
| To the medina | l-mdina l-qdima | للمدينة القديمة | l-MDEE-na l-QDEE-ma |
| To this address | l-had l-'unwan | لهاد العنوان | l-HAAD l-oon-WAAN |
| Please use the meter | shghel l-kontur 'afak | شغل الكونتور عافاك | SHGHEL l-kon-TOOR AA-fak |
Directions
In the medina, everyone will offer to guide you. A polite 'la, shukran' is enough.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where is ...? | fin kayn ...? | فين كاين ...؟ | feen KAAYN |
| Where is the toilet? | fin kayna t-twalit? | فين كاينة الطواليت؟ | feen KAAY-na t-twa-LEET |
| Where is the hotel? | fin kayn l-otel? | فين كاين الوطيل؟ | feen KAAYN l-o-TEL |
| Is it far? | wash b'id? | واش بعيد؟ | wash b-EED |
| Is it close? | wash qrib? | واش قريب؟ | wash QREEB |
| Here | hna | هنا | HNA |
Hotel & Riad
A riad is a traditional house with a courtyard, now often a guesthouse.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | 'andi rezervasyon | عندي ريزيرفاسيون | AN-dee re-zer-va-SYON |
| Do you have a room? | 'andkum shi bit? | عندكم شي بيت؟ | AND-koom shee BEET |
| For two nights | l-juj lyali | لجوج ليالي | l-JOOJ lee-YAA-lee |
| Key | s-sarut | الساروت | s-saa-ROOT |
| Hot water | l-ma skhun | الما سخون | l-MA SKHOON |
| The wifi password, please | l-mot de passe dyal l-wifi 'afak | لموديپاس ديال الويفي عافاك | l-mod-PASS dyal l-WEE-fee AA-fak |
Food & Restaurant
Mint tea is the national drink. Bread is sacred: never throw it away.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please | tabla l-juj 'afak | طابلة لجوج عافاك | TAB-la l-JOOJ AA-fak |
| The menu, please | l-menu 'afak | المنيو عافاك | l-me-NOO AA-fak |
| I would like ... | bghit ... | بغيت ... | BGHEET |
| Water | l-ma | الما | l-MA |
| Mint tea | atay b-n-ne'na' | أتاي بالنعناع | a-TAY b-ne-NAA |
| Without sugar | bla sukkar | بلا سكر | bla SOOK-kar |
Health & Emergencies
Emergency numbers in Morocco: police 19, ambulance & fire 15, gendarmerie (outside cities) 177.
| English | Darija | Arabic script | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help! | 'tqni! | عتقني! | a-TEQ-nee |
| Call the police! (m / f) | 'iyyet / 'iyyti l-l-bulis! | عيط / عيطي للبوليس! | AY-yet / ayy-TEE l-l-boo-LEES |
| Call an ambulance! (m / f) | 'iyyet / 'iyyti l-l-is'af! | عيط / عيطي للإسعاف! | AY-yet / ayy-TEE l-l-ees-AAF |
| I need a doctor | khassni tbib | خاصني طبيب | KHAS-nee TBEEB |
| I'm sick (said by a man) | ana mrid | أنا مريض | A-na MREED |
| I'm sick (said by a woman) | ana mrida | أنا مريضة | A-na MREE-da |
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(m) = said to a man, (f) = said to a woman. Darija varies by region; these are the forms widely understood in Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca and Rabat.