25 Darija phrases to learn first

If you are starting Moroccan Darija, you do not need a thousand words. A small set of phrases, used confidently, will carry you through a greeting, a café order, a taxi ride and a first conversation. The list below is the one we would give a friend arriving in Casablanca or Marrakech tomorrow.

Each entry shows the Arabic script, the Latin spelling (how it sounds) and the English meaning. The numbers and letters in Latin spelling are deliberate: 3 represents the Arabic letter ʿayn, 7 represents a strong h, and 9 represents a q sound. Read them as approximate sounds, not as English letters.

Greetings and goodbyes

How to use them: “Salam alaykum” works in almost any situation — entering a shop, meeting a neighbour, greeting a taxi driver. The reply is “Wa alaykum salam”. “Labas?” is relaxed and friendly; the standard answer is “Labas, hamdulillah”. If you are the one leaving, “Bslama” is enough.

Politeness that opens doors

“3afak” is the single most useful word on this list. Add it to a request and the tone changes immediately. “Ma fhemtsh” plus “3awd 3afak” is a graceful way to ask someone to slow down — far better than nodding politely and understanding nothing.

Numbers 1–10

Numbers are where learners gain confidence fastest. Practise them out loud while walking: wahed, jouj, tlata. Prices are usually said in dirhams, and in the souk you will hear numbers followed by “dirham”. Listening for the number is often enough to follow a negotiation.

At the café

“Bghit” (I want) is the workhorse of ordering. Swap the noun and you can ask for almost anything: “Bghit atay”, “Bghit qahwa”, “Bghit lma”. Moroccan mint tea is sweet by default, so “bla skar” (without sugar) is worth memorising if you prefer it dry.

Finding your way

“Fin kayn…?” means “Where is…?” and works with almost any place: “Fin kayn l-gare?” (the station), “Fin kayn l7ammam?” (the hammam). People will often answer with a gesture plus “nishan” (straight ahead), “limen” or “lisser”. Learn those three direction words and you can follow most answers.

How to practise without a teacher

1. Pick five phrases, not twenty-five. Say them out loud until they feel boring. Boredom is a good sign — it means they are becoming automatic.
2. Use the audio. Tap the speaker on any phrase in the phrasebook or in a lesson. Browser voices are approximate, but they train your ear to the rhythm.
3. Put them in a scene. The AI practice page lets you rehearse a café or taxi conversation and get a gentle correction.
4. Test yourself. The quiz mixes meanings, recall and numbers. Ten questions is enough for one sitting.

What to learn next

Once these phrases feel comfortable, add the vocabulary that matches your life: family words, food, the days of the week, or the phrases you need for work. Our five core lessons cover greetings, essentials, numbers, the café and getting around. The phrasebook adds Amazigh vocabulary, and the Amazigh page introduces Tifinagh if you want to read the script as well as speak.

Language learning is mostly repetition disguised as daily life. Order the tea, ask the price, say goodbye — and let the words do the work.