How To Sound Cool In Morocco: The 10 Most Useful Moroccan Darija Expressions For Everyday Life
The Land of God, also known as Morocco, is one of the best tourist destinations in North Africa. This Amazigh country is a combination of magnificent nature, complex culture, and rich history. The people of Morocco are friendly and very generous, especially in rural areas. But if you can impress them by using their mother tongue, you will definitely earn their respect.
The majority of Moroccans speak Moroccan Darija. It is the Moroccan version of the language spoken by North Africans. But since this is not a language lecture, I will not bother with more details about it.
Here Are Some Darija Expressions To Keep In Your Mind.
1. Sahla mahla
Equivalent expression: Easy peasy.
This expression can be used to describe an easy process or task. It is common in all Moroccan regions. Though, pay attention to the pronunciation of the letter “h”. It is not a mute letter. The letter “h” in “sahla mahla” is pronounced like in the word “hat”.
2. Mcṭbba hadi
Equivalent expression: Get into jam.
This expression can be used in the same context as the given English idiom. For example, if you are running out of gas in the middle of nowhere, you can say “mcṭbba hadi.” Pay attention again to the pronunciation. The letters used in Darija’s expression are adopted from the Berber Latin alphabet. The letter “c” is pronounced “sh” like in “shift” while the letter “ṭ” is an emphatic “t” like in the word “toll”.
3. Maci mockil
Equivalent expression: It’s no big deal.
Maci mockil is one of those expressions that make life easier because it can be used in different contexts. In addition to the given equivalent, It can be used to show your willingness to do a favor or to give something.
Example: A: Can you help me with my homework? B: Yes, maci mockil.
Again, the letter “c” is pronounced “sh” like in “shift”.
4. Ṣḍḍɛti lyya rasi
Equivalent expression: Get off my back.
We all hate annoying people, right? Well, this expression will help you to get rid of them. If a hawker is annoying you in the street, you can tell him, “Ṣḍḍɛti lyya rasi, please leave me alone.” A literal translation of the expression would be, “you are annoying me”, but in Darija, it is strong and strict.
The letters “ṣ” and “ḍ” are similar to “s” and “d” in English but thicker. In addition, the letter “ɛ” is equivalent to “ʕ” in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
5. Masculine: Xwa byya | Feminine: Xwat byya
Equivalent expression: She/he stood me up.
Generally speaking, Moroccans do not respect time. Time management is not a concept in Darija. While in Morocco, you must expect to be stood up many times. That is frustrating, I understand. But at least, now you know how to talk about it.
Example: A: Did she show up in the bar? B: No, xwat byya.
The letter “x” is pronounced like “j” in European Spanish.
6. Jini nican.
Equivalent expression: Come clean.
Another expression that can be useful in different contexts. You can use it to ask someone to be straight and honest. Remember that letter “c” is pronounced “sh” like in “shift”.
7. Fac xllinaha?
Equivalent expression: Where were we?
This is a time saver expression. It can be used to get back to what you were talking about after ending up on a tangent. For example, “Fac xllinaha? Let’s get back to what we were talking about.” Bear in mind that the letters “c” and “x” are pronounced like English “sh” and European Spanish “j”.
8. Had nnhar mkaṛbn
Equivalent expression: One of these days.
This expression can be used if you are having a bad day. Its literal translation is “This day is carbonated”. The letter “ṛ” is pronounced like “r” in English but thicker.
9. Ma nɛst ma cfto
Equivalent expression: I was up all night.
The Darija expression ma nɛst ma cfto translates literally to “I neither slept nor seen it”. Here is an example sentence “The neighbors’ music was very loud, so ma nɛst ma cfto.”
The letter “ɛ” is equivalent to “ʕ” in the IPA, while the letter “c” is similar to “sh” in the word “shift”.
10. Rdd l’bal
Equivalent expression: Watch out.
This sentence can have different meanings according to the context. It can be used to alert someone, to order someone to be vigilant or to threaten someone.
