Essential Moroccan Darija Phrases for Your First Trip to Morocco

Most travellers land in Morocco with a few words of French or Arabic and quickly notice that neither is quite what people speak in the street. The everyday language of Morocco is Darija, Moroccan Arabic, mixed with Amazigh, French and Spanish words. It is spoken in the medina, the taxi, the café and the souk, and even a handful of phrases change the way people respond to you. A smile, a "Salamou 3alikoum" and a "Choukran" will open more doors than a perfect guidebook.

Here are the phrases worth learning before your first trip, grouped by the situations you will actually meet.

A quick note on spelling

Darija is mostly spoken, and when Moroccans write it in Latin letters (on WhatsApp, for example) they use numbers for sounds that English does not have. The "3" is a deep sound from the throat, and the "7" is a strong, breathy "h". You will see them everywhere, so it helps to recognise them. Spellings also vary a lot: "Choukran" and "Shoukran" are the same word.

Greetings: the most important part of any conversation

In Morocco, greetings are never rushed. People ask how you are, then how your family is, before getting to the point.

• Salamou 3alikoum: "peace be upon you", the most common and respectful greeting, used at any time of day. The reply is "Wa 3alikoum salam", "and peace be upon you too".

• Labas?: "how are you?", literally "no harm?". It works as a question and as an answer. Reply: "Labas, l7amdullah", "fine, thank God".

• Ki dayr? (to a man) / Ki dayra? (to a woman): "how are you doing?", a more casual version.

• Sba7 el khir: "good morning". The reply is "Sbah en-nour", "bright morning".

• Masa el khir: "good evening".

If you only learn one word, make it "Labas". You will hear it dozens of times a day.

Polite words that go a long way

• Choukran: "thank you". "Choukran bezzaf" means "thank you very much".

• 3afak: "please", also used to say "excuse me" when you stop someone to ask something.

• Barak llahou fik: "may God bless you", a warmer way of thanking someone after a real favour.

• Bslama: "goodbye", literally "with peace".

• Nchallah: "if God wills it". Moroccans add it to almost every sentence about the future. Said with a hesitant smile, it can also politely mean "probably not", which is worth knowing when you ask whether the bus will leave on time.

You will also hear people call each other "a khouya" (my brother) and "a khti" (my sister), even between strangers. It is a sign of warmth, and using it with a market vendor sets a friendly tone.

Yes, no, and "I don't understand"

These are the words that save you when the conversation goes faster than you do.

• Iyeh: yes

• Lla: no

• Wakha: okay

• Chwiya: a little

• Bezzaf: a lot, or too much

• Mafhemtch: I don't understand. Add "3awed 3afak" ("repeat, please") and people will slow down for you.

• Ma3raftch: I don't know

"Kan3ref darija chwiya", "I know a little Darija", is a great sentence to have ready: it usually earns a smile and a lot of patience.

Asking questions and finding your way

Medinas are beautiful mazes, and asking for directions is part of the experience. The question word usually comes at the start of the sentence.

• Fin kayn...?: Where is...? ("3afak, fin kayn l7ammam?", "excuse me, where is the hammam, please?")

• Kifach nmchi l...?: How do I get to...?

• Wach kayn...?: Is there...?

• Chnou?: What?

• Imta?: When?

• 3lach?: Why?

You will often hear "Sir nichane", "go straight on", and "dour 3la limn", "turn right". And if you want to check whether someone speaks French, try "Wach kathder Fransa?".

Shopping and the souk

Bargaining in the souk is expected, and doing it with a few words of Darija changes the whole exchange.

• Bch7al had chi?: How much is this?

• Ghali: expensive

• Rkhis: cheap

• Flus: money

• Drhm: dirham, the Moroccan currency

• Khelles: to pay

A typical exchange in the lessons we use with our learners goes like this:

• "Bsh7al had jellaba?" (How much is this jellaba?)

• "300 drhm." (300 dirhams.)

• "Nshri-ha b 200." (I'll buy it for 200.)

• "Wakha, khelles 200." (Alright, pay 200.)

It rarely goes that smoothly in real life, but it shows the rhythm: ask, hear the price, make your offer, and settle with a smile.

Numbers you will need

Prices, taxis, opening hours: numbers come up constantly.

• 1: Wa7ed

• 2: Jouj

• 3: Tlata

• 4: Rb3a

• 5: Khamsa

• 6: Setta

• 7: Sb3a

• 8: Tmnya

• 9: Ts3oud

• 10: 3shra

• 20: 3shrin

• 50: Khamsin

• 100: Miya

For numbers like 23, Darija says the unit first: "Tlata w 3shrin", literally "three and twenty".

How to practise before you go

Reading these phrases is a start, but Darija is a spoken language, and what really helps is hearing it and saying it out loud. Listen to the greetings until "Labas" and "Choukran" come out without thinking, and practise the souk dialogue with a friend before your trip.

If you want to go further, you can learn Moroccan Darija online with Targumi, with short lessons recorded by native speakers and live classes in small groups.

Even ten words make a difference. Moroccans are famously welcoming, and they light up when a visitor makes the effort. Start with "Salamou 3alikoum", end with "Bslama", and fill the middle with as many "Choukran" as you can.