How do you translate a message in darija, and reply to it?

A message in darija often mixes Latin letters, digits and sometimes Arabic script. The same sentence can be spelled several ways, and that is what makes translation hard. This guide shows how to read a message, with examples from the app's dictionary, then how to reply without getting the gender wrong.

Recognize how the message is written

A message in darija comes in Latin letters, in Arabic letters, or in a mix of both. The digits 3, 7 and 9 stand for Arabic letters that English does not have: 3afak starts with a throat sound. The arabizi guide explains them one by one.

There is no official spelling. wach, wash and wesh are the same word, and a good translation has to recognize all three. The guide on writing darija gives the most common conventions.

The words that come back in almost every message

These twelve words open most family messages: questions, agreement, news. Each line comes from the app's dictionary, with an example sentence and its translation.

Darija	Arabic script	Meaning	Example
wachalso written wash, wesh, ouach	واش	(yes/no question particle, no English equivalent)	wach nta bikhir?Are you well?
labasalso written la bas, labes	لا باس	fine / all is well	labas 3lik?Are you well?
wakhaalso written wa5a, wakhkha	واخا	okay / all right	wakha, nji m3akokay, I'll come with you
bghit	بغيت	I want / I would like (form of bgha)	bghit kas d atay 3afakI would like a glass of tea, please
finalso written fein, feen	فين	where	fin kayna ma7attat ttobis?Where is the bus stop?
chhalalso written ch7al	شحال	how much / how many	chhal hada?How much is this?
imtaalso written emta	إمتى	when	imta ghadi tsafer l lmaghrib?When are you going to travel to Morocco?
kifachalso written kifash, kifech	كيفاش	how	kifach katdiri had ttajin?How do you make this tajine?
3lachalso written 3lash, alach	علاش	why	3lach t3ettelti 3la lftour?Why were you late for breakfast?
chnoalso written achno, shno, chnou	شنو	what / what is it that	chno wjjdat mama f l3cha?What did Mom prepare for dinner?
yallahalso written yalah, yala	يالله	come on! / let's go / hurry up	yallah a wladi, tt3ettelna 3la lmdrasa!Come on, kids, we're late for school!
l7amdollahalso written hamdollah, hamdoulah, lhamdoulillah	الحمد لله	thank God / thankfully	kolchi bikhir, l7amdollah.Everything's fine, thank God.

Translate word by word, then the whole sentence

In the app, you paste the message into Translate. Each word opens on its card: the meaning, the Arabic script and the voice. The dictionary cards work offline.

If you want more, the app explains the whole sentence, its tone and its intent. Then it offers three replies, and each reply has its voice. When a reply checks out word by word against the dictionary, it carries the “Verified” badge.

The Translate tab of Darija Pro: the message sba7 lkhir, la bas? and three replies in darija with their Arabic script and a play button — One message received, three ways to answer.

The other way: from English to darija

You write your sentence in English and Translate gives it back in darija, in Latin letters and in Arabic script, with a voice. You copy the version you like into your message.

In darija the sentence changes with the person in front of you. You pick “to a man” or “to a woman”, “family” or “polite”, and the translation follows. A note under the sentence explains the word that matters.

Translate, French to darija: the sentence salam, kif dayra lwalida? with the toggles to a man, to a woman, family, polite — Two toggles change the sentence.

What stays on your phone

The dictionary, its cards and the voices are inside the app: they work even in airplane mode. Translating a whole sentence and the suggested replies go through the internet, and we keep nothing on our side. The privacy page has the details.

Questions about this guide

Does translation work offline?

The dictionary cards, the voices and the verbs work offline. Translating a whole sentence, the explanation and the suggested replies need a connection.

Does the app also translate into French or Spanish?

Yes. The app comes in English, French and Spanish, and Translate works in the app's language.

How do I write a word I can't spell?

Type it the way you hear it. The dictionary searches in English, arabizi and Arabic letters at once, and it tolerates a typo.