Essential Moroccan Arabic Phrases

Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.

Here are the bare minimum of Moroccan Arabic words and phrases you need to know to survive.

Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.

If you need help with pronunciation,
please see the Pronunciation Guide below.

m = man
f = woman
> m = to a man
> f = to a woman
> pl = to many

Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ...

The Top 10 ...

s-salamu Aalaykum.
wa Aalaykum s-salam. (reply)
ahlen wa sahlen.
ahlen.

Hello.
bes-s-slama.
mAa ssalama.
LLah ihennik.
Goodbye.
wash ka-tkellem l-ingliziya?
wash ka-tkellem n-negliza?
Do you speak English?
ma-fhem-sh.
I don't understand.
shwiya.
A little.
iyeh / nAam. lla.
Yes. No.
be-shHal?

How much is it?
ghali bezzaf. wakha.
Too expensive. OK.
Aafak.
tfeDDel.
men feDlek.
Please.
shukran (bezzaf).
barak LLahu fik.
Thank you (very much).

Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ... The Top 20 ...
	shnu smitek? What is your name? smiti ... My name is ... se-khbarek? labas? How are you? labas. u-nta? (man) labas. u-nti? (woman) Fine. And you? fayn ...? Where is ...? fayn lbit lma? rzhal / Ayalat Where is the toilet? Men / Women smeH liya. (man) smHi liya. (woman) Sorry. Excuse me. mashi mushkil. ma-kayn-sh mushkil. No problem. bghit ... I want ... ma-bghit-sh ... I don't want ...

Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...

The Top 30 ...

mnayn nta? (> m)
mnayn nti? (> f)
Where are you from?
ana men ustralya.*
I am from Australia.
'afak zhibli lHsab.
The bill, please.
tweDDert.
I'm lost.
wqef! tsenna! (> m)
weqfi! tsennay! (> f)
Stop! Wait!
hna, temma, hnak.
Here, there, over there.
Taksi. oTil. maTar. lagar.
Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station.
ka-yeAzhebni ...
I like ...
ma-ka-yeAzhebni-sh ...
I don't like ...

waHed**, zhuzh, tlata, rebAa, khemsa.
one, two, three, four, five.
setta, sebAa, tmenya, tesAud, Aashra.
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

*Or choose your country:
'amirika - America
kanada - Canada
anglatira - England
irlanda - Ireland
nyu zilanda - New Zealand

Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...

Useful Extras ...

be-SSaHHa!
Cheers!

mezyan / khayb
good / bad
kbir / Sghir
big / small
qrib / bAid
near / far
qell / zidni
less / more
waHed akhor / baraka
another / enough

ana nbati. (man)
ana nbatiya. (woman)
I am vegetarian.
ma-ka-nakul-sh lHam.
I don't eat meat.
... dzhazh.
... chicken.
... lHut.
... fish.

Aandi lHasasiya mAa lgus.
I am allergic to nuts.
... lkawkwa.
... peanuts.
... lHut.
... fish.
... lmakla lbHer.
... seafood.
... lbiD.
... eggs.

Pronunciation Guide

Vowels:
A vowel with a macron indicates a long vowel, ie. ā is a long a
ay is like ay in may

Consonants:
' = glottal stop (ʔ), like the Cockney t in bottle
A = pharyngealised glottal fricative (ʕ)
D = pharyngealised d (dˁ)
gh is a voiced velar fricative (ɣ), a voiced form of kh
H = pharyngealised h (ħ)
kh is pronounced as kh as in loch or Bach (x)
S = pharyngealised s (sˁ)
sh is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
T = pharyngealised t (tˁ)
zh is pronounced as zh as in pleasure (ʒ)
(Hint: Pharyngealised consonants and vowels sound half swallowed.)

Please note:
shnu (what) may also be ash or ashnu
**waHed is placed after the noun, and becomes weHda after a feminine noun.
tnayn is used instead of zhuzh in compound numbers