Darija Phrases for Travelers: 40 Useful Moroccan Arabic Words

Darija phrases for travelers are the quickest way to connect with Moroccans. Darija is Moroccan Arabic, the everyday language of the street, the souk and the family, and it differs a lot from the Modern Standard Arabic taught in textbooks. Learning around 40 words — greetings, please and thank you, numbers and a few shopping phrases — is enough to make people smile, get better prices and feel at home. Below you will find them all, with pronunciation, Arabic script and a few Amazigh (Tamazight) greetings.

What is Darija, and why learn a few words?

Darija (الدارجة, "the everyday language") is the Arabic dialect spoken across Morocco. It has a strong Amazigh base and has borrowed many words from French (tomobil for car, tabla for table) and Spanish in the north (simana for week). An Egyptian or Lebanese speaker often struggles to follow it, so even if you studied Arabic, expect differences.

Moroccans do not expect visitors to speak Darija, which is exactly why a few words make such an impression. In our experience, a simple "salam alaykum" on entering a shop or "shukran bzaf" after a meal changes the tone of the whole exchange. If you are still planning, our guide on how to plan your first trip to Morocco covers the basics.

A quick pronunciation guide

• kh sounds like the Scottish "loch" (khobz, bread).
• gh is a soft gargled r, like the French "r" (ghali, expensive).
• q is a k from deep in the throat (qahwa, coffee).
• The number 3 is used online for the sound ع, a tight throat sound (3afak, please). Saying "afak" is fine.
• Vowels are often dropped: "bzaf" (a lot) sounds like "bzzaf".

Greetings and polite words (phrases 1-18)

Two tips: Moroccans often put the right hand on the heart when greeting or refusing politely — copy the gesture. And "la, shukran" said with a smile is the most useful phrase in the medina, to decline an unwanted guide or a shop invitation.

Getting to know people (phrases 19-23)

Shopping and haggling in Darija (phrases 24-30)

Bargaining is expected in the souks, and a few words of Darija signal that you are not a first-day visitor. Stay friendly, start at roughly a third to half of the first price for crafts, and walk away politely if it does not work. Our Marrakech souks shopping guide has fair price ranges.

Beware of "rials" in prices

In Marrakech and other traditional markets, older vendors sometimes count in rials, an old unit where 1 dirham = 20 rials. Hearing "two hundred" may mean 200 rials, which is only 10 dirhams. If a number sounds strange, ask "b d-dirham?" (in dirhams).

Directions, transport and food (phrases 31-40)

Numbers 1-10

Numbers help with prices and times: wahed (1), juj (2), tlata (3), rb3a (4), khamsa (5), stta (6), sb3a (7), tmnya (8), ts3od (9), 3ashra (10). Twenty is 3ashrin, a hundred is miya.

Tamazight greetings for the Atlas and the Sahara

In the High Atlas, the Souss, the valleys of the south and around Merzouga, many people speak an Amazigh language at home. Words vary by region (Tachelhit in the High Atlas and Souss, Central Atlas Tamazight further east), but these are widely understood:

To understand who speaks these languages and why, read our guide to Berber (Amazigh) culture in Morocco. Linguists have also documented Darija in detail — Wikipedia's Moroccan Arabic page is a good overview.

Practise with locals on a private tour

The best language class is the road. On our day trips from Marrakech to the Atlas villages or Essaouira, your driver will happily teach you a few words between stops, and village families love hearing visitors try "azul" and "tanmirt". On longer Morocco private tours, many of our travelers leave with a notebook full of new words.

Want to practise your Darija on a tailor-made trip? Send us your dates and wishes, and we will reply with a free private-tour quote within 24 hours — contact our team. Bslama!

Frequently asked questions

Is Darija the same as Arabic?

Darija is a dialect of Arabic, but it differs a lot from Modern Standard Arabic and from Middle Eastern dialects. It includes many Amazigh, French and Spanish words and simplified grammar and pronunciation. Moroccans understand Standard Arabic from school and media, but speak Darija in daily life. If you learned Egyptian or Levantine Arabic, expect to adapt.

Can I get by in Morocco with English only?

Yes, in tourist areas. In Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira and most riads and hotels, many people speak some English, especially younger Moroccans. French is more widely understood overall, and Spanish is common in the north. In rural villages, English is rarer, which is where a private driver-guide and a few Darija words make a real difference.

How do you say thank you in Moroccan Arabic?

Thank you in Darija is shukran (شكرا), and thank you very much is shukran bzaf. To decline politely, say la, shukran (no, thank you), often with your right hand on your heart. In Amazigh-speaking regions such as the High Atlas, you can also say tanmirt, which people particularly appreciate hearing from visitors.

What does inshallah mean in Morocco?

Inshallah means God willing and is used constantly in Morocco when speaking about the future, from see you tomorrow to the bus will arrive soon. It expresses hope and humility rather than certainty. Travelers sometimes read it as a polite maybe, and occasionally it is, but most often it simply accompanies a sincere intention.