Arabic dialects / Moroccan Arabic
🇲🇦 Learn Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Arabic, called Darija, is what people actually speak in Morocco, from the medina in Fes to a phone call home from Paris. It is very different from the Arabic taught in textbooks, and from the Arabic spoken in the Gulf.
What makes Moroccan Arabic distinct
- Tamazight, the Indigenous language of North Africa, shaped its sounds and many of its words.
- French and, in the north, Spanish loanwords are part of everyday speech.
- Short vowels often disappear, which makes it sound fast and clipped to other Arabic speakers. Present tense verbs often start with ka-, as in kanbghik, "I love you".
Essential Moroccan Arabic phrases
These come straight from the first sections of Lahja’s Moroccan Arabic course.
| English | Say it | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | salaam | سلام |
| How are you | kidayr | كيداير؟ |
| What's your name | shno smitk | شنو سميتك؟ |
| Thank you | shukran | شكرا |
| Please | 3afak | عفاك |
| I love you | kanbghik | كنبغيك |
| Let's go | mshina | مشينا |
| How much? | bsh7al | بشحال؟ |
| Delicious | bneen | بنين |
| No problem | mashi mushkil | ماشي مشكل |
In the spelling, 3 is the letter ayn, 7 is a breathy h, 2 is a glottal stop, 5 is kh and 9 is qaf.
Lahja’s Moroccan Arabic course
- 87 words and phrases across 11 sections
- Every word has a recording by a native speaker
- Short lessons, practice rounds and a test for each section
- Sections 1 to 3 are free. Pro is $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial
Best for: Moroccan heritage speakers, travellers to Morocco, and anyone with Moroccan family or a Moroccan partner.
Questions about learning Moroccan Arabic
- Is Moroccan Arabic different from Modern Standard Arabic?
- Yes. Moroccan Arabic is the spoken language of Morocco, with its own pronunciation, grammar and everyday words. Modern Standard Arabic is the formal written language, so learning it alone will not prepare you for ordinary conversation in Morocco.
- How do I start learning Moroccan Arabic?
- Start with greetings and everyday phrases you can use straight away, and listen to native speakers as often as you can. Lahja’s Moroccan Arabic course has 87 words and phrases across 11 sections, in five minute lessons.
- Is the Moroccan Arabic course free?
- Sections 1 to 3 are free and stay free. Lahja Pro unlocks the rest for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial.
- Does the course use native Moroccan Arabic speakers?
- Yes. All 87 words in this course have recordings by native speakers.
Other dialects
Lahja teaches 11 dialects in all, including: