Travel Tips · 3 min read
40 Useful Moroccan Darija Phrases for Travellers (with Pronunciation)
Quick answer
The most useful Darija phrases are: salam (hello), shukran (thank you), la shukran (no thanks), afak (please), bshhal? (how much?), ghali bezzaf (too expensive), fin…? (where is…?), wakha (OK), mezyan (good) and bslama (goodbye). Moroccans speak Darija, a dialect of Arabic mixed with Amazigh, French and Spanish words.
Moroccans love it when visitors try a few words of Darija, the everyday Moroccan Arabic. It softens every negotiation and opens many doors. Here are the phrases our guides teach first.
Greetings and politeness
| English | Darija (as it sounds) |
|---|---|
| Hello | Salam / Salam alaykum |
| Good morning | Sbah lkhir |
| Good evening | Msa lkhir |
| How are you? | Labas? / Kidayr? (m) Kidayra? (f) |
| Fine, thanks | Labas, hamdullah |
| Please | Afak |
| Thank you (very much) | Shukran (bezzaf) |
| No, thank you | La, shukran |
| Goodbye | Bslama |
| Yes / No | Iyeh / La |
| OK | Wakha |
Shopping and souks
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| How much? | Bshhal? |
| Too expensive | Ghali bezzaf |
| Last price? | Akher taman? |
| I'm just looking | Ghir kanchouf |
| Good / beautiful | Mezyan / Zwin |
Practise them in the souks on our medina walking tour — and read the souks shopping guide.
Food and restaurants
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| Water | Lma |
| Tea / coffee | Atay / Qahwa |
| Delicious | Bnin |
| The bill, please | L'hsab, afak |
| Enough, thanks | Safi, shukran |
| I don't eat meat | Ma kanakulch l-lham |
Taste them all on our street food tour by night.
Getting around
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| Where is…? | Fin…? |
| Left / right / straight | Liser / Limen / Nishan |
| Stop here | Wqef hna |
| The meter, please | L'compteur, afak |
Numbers
1 wahed · 2 jouj · 3 tlata · 4 rb'a · 5 khamsa · 10 'ashra · 20 'ashrin · 100 mya.
Emergencies
Help! — 'Teqni! · Police — Lbolis · Doctor — Tbib · Pharmacy — Farmasyan.
To learn more, see Moroccan Arabic on Wikipedia.
FAQ
What language is spoken in Morocco?
Moroccan Darija (a dialect of Arabic) and Amazigh languages are spoken daily; Arabic and Amazigh are official, and French is widely used.
How do you say thank you in Moroccan?
Shukran. To say 'thank you very much', say 'shukran bezzaf'.
Do Moroccans speak English?
In tourist areas many people speak some English, and French is common. A few Darija words always earn smiles.
Is Darija the same as Arabic?
It is a Maghrebi dialect of Arabic with many Amazigh, French and Spanish words, quite different from Modern Standard Arabic.
Morocco Travels Team
Written by the Morocco Travels team in Marrakech — local guides and drivers who run these routes every week. We update our guides each season with current prices, opening hours and road conditions.
