50 Basic Words and Phrases in Moroccan Arabic
For your everyday conversations, we have compiled for you a list of 50 basic words and phrases in Moroccan Arabic.
You basically need to learn these words and phrases by heart to acquire a first baggage in Darija.
On this page, you will learn how to say words like “yes”, “no”, “thanks”, and “please” in Moroccan Arabic.
You will also learn a few phrases to ask for help, or signal that you do not understand something, in Darija.
An exercise is provided at the end to help you practice these basic Moroccan Arabic words and phrases.
Looking to learn Darija online? Two really popular Moroccan Arabic resources I recommend are Talk In Arabic and ArabicPod101.
50 Basic Words and Phrases in Moroccan Arabic
English | Transcribed Moroccan Arabic | Moroccan Darija in the Arabic Alphabet |
---|---|---|
Yes | Iyyeh / ah / wah | إييه/ آه/واه |
No | Lla | لا |
Please (addressing a singular) | 3afak | عافاك |
Thanks | Shokran | شكرا |
I love you (addressing a singular) | Kanbghik | كنبغيك |
I miss you (addressing a singular) | Twe77eshtek | توحشتك |
A lot | Bezzaf | بزاف |
A little | Shwiya | شوية |
Okay | Wakha | واخا |
Now | Daba | دابا |
Not now | Mashi daba | ماشي دابا |
Or | Awla | أولا |
And | W | و |
It’s not a problem / It’s okay | Mashi moshkil | ماشي مشكل |
(It was) not me | Mashi ana | ماشي أنا |
I want… | Bghit… | بغيت… |
I don’t want... | Ma bghitsh... | ...ما بغيتش |
I am done / I finished | Salit | ساليت |
I am not done / I did not finish | Ma salitsh | ما ساليتش |
Beautiful (masculine, singular) | Zwin | زوين |
Bad/ugly (masculine, singular) | Khayb | خايب |
Good (masculine, singular) | Mezyan | مزيان |
Check out this list of 100 adjectives in Moroccan Arabic. | #colspan# | |
Check out the lesson on the feminine form in Moroccan Arabic. | #colspan# | |
Excuse me | Sme7 lia (addressing a male) Sem7i lia (addressing a female) | سمح ليا سمحلي ليا |
I don’t speak Arabic | Ma kanhdersh l3erbia | ما كنهضرش العربية |
I don’t understand/I didn’t understand | Ma fhemtsh | ما فهمتش |
Do you understand me? (Addressing a singular) | Fhemtini? | فهمتيني؟ |
I don ’t have any money | Ma 3endish leflouss | ما عنديش الفلوس |
Welcome | Mer7ba | مرحبا |
Take (this) | Hak (addressing a male) Haki (addressing a female) | هاك هاكي |
Give me… (Addressing a singular) | 3tini… | عطيني… |
I know | 3reft | عرفت |
I don’t know | Ma 3reftsh | ما عرفتش |
I forgot | Nsit | نسيت |
I have to go | Khasni nemshi | خاصني نمشي |
It’s your turn (Addressing a singular) | Noubtek | نوبتك |
It’s my turn | Noubti | نوبتي |
I am tired | 3yit | عييت |
Where is the W.C? | Fin kayna twalit? | فين كاينة الطواليت |
Congratulations | Mebrouk | مبروك |
Can you help me? | Tqdr t3awenni? (addressing a male) Tqdri t3awenini? (addressing a female) | تقدر تعاوني؟ تقدري تعاونيني؟ |
I am looking for… | Kanqelleb 3la... | كنقلب على... |
I can’t find/I didn’t find | Ma lqitsh... | ما لقيتش… |
Agreed/Enough | Safi | صافي |
Slowly | Beshwia | بشوية |
Faster | Bezzerba | بالزربة |
Maybe | Imken | إيمكن |
Of course | Tab3an / Akid | طبعا / أكيد |
I have a problem. | 3endi moshkila | عندي مشكلة |
What do you think? (Addressing a singular) | Ashno ban lik? | أشنو بان ليك؟ |
What did you say? (Addressing a singular) | Ashno guelti? | أشنو ڭلتي؟ |
Exercise – 50 Basic Words and Phrases in Moroccan Arabic
Try using up to 10 of the above words or phrases in a coherent paragraph or dialogue.
If you are a beginner, your paragraph does not have to be entirely in Moroccan Arabic.
Try to do this exercise by injecting 10 Moroccan Arabic words from this page into a paragraph.
You can post your text for feedback either in the comments section below, or in the exercises section on Speak Moroccan Forums.
You can continue with other Speak Moroccan materials in “Moroccan Arabic – Unit 1”.
Or you can carry on to other Moroccan Darija lessons.

filiz
why there isn't sound with wich words, i read arabic kuran but when i listen egyptian or moroccan pronounciations are differents. as knowing so all a moroccan and egyptian can speak together, but dialec is different for each country. can you put listening pronouciation for each unit. As that learning is easier than lesons without sound.
Speak Moroccan
We are planning to do that in the future.
Ivette
I agree with the gentleman I think is more easy with pronuciacion.
Ivette
I mean with sound
0777350803
Zwin bzaf
Valery
shukran bezzaf. Bghit nt3llm l darija. ma9dersh nhder biha mezian hit ma9dersh nfhe kulchi.3ndi mushkilat bezzaf m3a lpronunciation u shi kalimat hit makaynsh bezzaf web sites b darija. bghit n3ref ila mumkin ta3wani. db nt3llm l darija bohdi bdit nt3llm men raba3 chhar welakin bghit nkamel m3a hadi.
Speak Moroccan
Mer7ba bik khti Valery. Kifash nqedro n3awnouk?
Jerrebti tferrji f mosalsalat b darija?
Jan
When I was in Morocco, people used to say something like "in jah hunbie!" instead of "1-2-3 push!" perhaps it was in jaliln hun be - or something. Does anyone know the expression I'm after?
Speak Moroccan
It sounds like "ya jah ennabi", which is calling the prophet's name.
Jonah
wallahi had al-mawq3 ktir mumtaz w ana ma3 al-mut3lleqeen al-a7'ra. Shukran bzzaf ya mu3lem
Speak Moroccan
Shukran bezzaf, Jonah.
Safire
is there any way one of the admins can teach derija 1 to 1 on whatsapp for any way of speaking to someone 1 to 1, i think itl help alot
Jusue Granados
So glad i came across this page. Thank you!!!
Speak Moroccan
We're happy you found us, Jusue.
Speak Moroccan
There hasn't been any demand for this service in the past.
Perhaps one of our team members can offer this private darija tutoring service in the future, provided that enough people showed interest.
salman salman
Yes please please host a 1 on 1 or small group darija training if you can I would love to spend an hour a week and can paypal you the costs!
Karin
I would be interested in having one on one lessons to learn
Prashansa
How to pronounce the numbers mentioned in the spellings for example : Ma 3endish or mar7ba
Zakaria
Hi Prashansa
numbers are moroccan-made language hhhh
for example "3" we mean by it ع like when we say "arabic" it's a profound letter from the deep throat
(it's difficult to explain without listening)
BillDee
The numbers are used to represent Arabic sounds that don't exist in English but are important to pronounce correctly so there is no misunderstanding of what you want to say. Those numbers somewhat represent the Arabic letters that correspond to those sounds:
7 is equivalent to the Arabic ح, and is similar to the English H, but farther back in the throat. (There is another letter ه , corresponding to the H sound we make in English, so you have to make the difference between those sounds to avoid confusion. It is normally represented in the English spelling H).
3 is equivalent to the Arabic ع, and is a sound made with the voice way back in the throat, kind of like twisting your esophagus when you make the sound with your voice. There is no similar sound in English!
How
How do you say " I can understand Darija but I dont speak it" ??
Richard Lott
I enjoy your website very much. I hope to visit Morocco in 2027 for the total solar eclipse that will go through the nothern part of the country.
Keep up the good work. It is most appreciated by me.
Beibarys
aziiz alia Maghreb !
Danielle Chavardès
I love ❤️ Arabic
Fatima Muhsen
so helpful loved teaching my friends
Arno Schmitt
Excellent, but please differentiate between i <> ī /î /ee
Darlene Epps
Are Darija words on audio?
David
Mass zebi a woudl 9ahba
David
Mass zebi a woudl 9ahba