Which darija words should you learn first?

Questions, yes and no, the pronouns and a dozen verbs: with these words you understand the backbone of almost every sentence. They are sorted by use.

Asking a question

Darija	Arabic script	Meaning	Example
wachalso written wash, wesh, ouach	واش	(yes/no question particle, no English equivalent)	wach nta bikhir?Are you well?
chhalalso written ch7al	شحال	how much / how many	chhal hada?How much is this?
finalso written fein, feen	فين	where	fin kayna ma7attat ttobis?Where is the bus stop?
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?
chkounalso written chkon, shkoun	شكون	who	chkoun d99 3la lbab?Who knocked on the door?
imtaalso written emta	إمتى	when	imta ghadi tsafer l lmaghrib?When are you going to travel to Morocco?
mninalso written mnine, mneen	منين	from where / which way	mnin nta a khoya?Where are you from, my brother?
achalso written ash	آش	what	ach kayn f ssou9 lyoum?What is there at the market today?
chnoalso written achno, shno, chnou	شنو	what / what is it that	chno wjjdat mama f l3cha?What did Mom prepare for dinner?

Yes, no, okay

Darija	Arabic script	Meaning	Example
ahalso written aah	اه	yes	ah, fhemtek a khoya.Yes, I understood you, my brother.
iyehalso written iyyeh, iih	إيه	yes (more emphatic)	iyeh, ghadi nji m3akom l ssou9.Yes, I am coming with you to the market.
lla	لا	no	9olt lih lla, ma n9drI told him no, I can't.
wakhaalso written wa5a, wakhkha	واخا	okay / all right	wakha, nji m3akokay, I'll come with you
safi	صافي	that's enough / it's fine / okay	safi, tfahmna 3la kolchi.Okay, we agreed on everything.
machialso written maxi, mashi	ماشي	not (negation before a noun, an adjective, or a phrase)	Had lma machi bared, skhoun.This water is not cold, it is hot.

Pronouns

Darija	Arabic script	Meaning	Example
anaalso written anaya	أنا	I / me	ana mn casa, w nta?I'm from Casablanca, and you?
ntaalso written ntaya	نتا	you (singular, to a man)	nta li ghadi tsou9 lyoum?Are you the one who is driving today?
ntialso written ntiya, ntia	نتي	you (singular, to a woman)	nti 3yana? glsi rta7i chwiya.Are you tired? Sit down, rest a bit.
howaalso written huwa, houwa	هو	he / him	howa khouya kbir, sakn f rbat.He is my older brother, he lives in Rabat.
hiaalso written hiya, hya	هي	she	hia mama dyali, lla y7afdha.She is my mother, may God protect her.
7naalso written hna, 7naya	حنا	we	7na mn nafs l7ouma.We're from the same neighborhood.
ntoumaalso written ntoma	نتوما	you (plural)	ntouma fin saknin f casa?Where do you live in Casablanca?
houmaalso written homa, huma	هوما	they / them	houma jirani, nass dyal lkhir.They are my neighbors, good people.

Everyday verbs

Darija	Arabic script	Meaning	Example
bgha	بغى	to want / to like	bgha yji m3anahe wants to come with us
bghit	بغيت	I want / I would like (form of bgha)	bghit kas d atay 3afakI would like a glass of tea, please
mcha	مشى	to go / to leave	mcha l souq m3a bbahhe went to the market with his father
ja	جا	to come	ja l dar 3chiyaHe came home in the evening
galalso written 9al, qal	قال	to say	gal liya aji gheddaHe told me, "Come tomorrow."
chafalso written shaf	شاف	to see / to watch	chaf lmatch lbare7he watched the match yesterday
kla	كلا	to eat	klina seksou nhar jjem3aWe ate couscous on Friday
chrebalso written shreb	شرب	to drink	chreb atay skhounHe drank hot tea
khdem	خدم	to work	kaykhdem f sbitarhe works at the hospital
kteb	كتب	to write	kteb liya messageHe wrote me a message
dar	دار	to do / to make	dar atay l dyafhe made tea for the guests

Small words that come back everywhere

Darija	Arabic script	Meaning	Example
hada	هادا	this / this one / this thing	Hada lktab li bghit nqrah.This is the book I wanted to read.
hadchialso written hadshi, hadxi, hadchy	هادشي	this / that	Bghit hadchi w safi.I want this and that's all.
chialso written xi, shi, chy	شي	some / any	Bghit chi 7aja skhouna.I want something hot.
ghiralso written hir, 8ir	غير	only / just	bghit ghir kas atayI just want a glass of tea.
bezzafalso written bzaf, bzzaf	بزاف	a lot / very	kanbghi atay bezzafI like tea a lot
dyalalso written dial, diyal	ديال	of (possession)	Had ttomobil dyal bba.This car is my father's.
bach	باش	to / in order to	Msha lsou9 bach ychri lhlib.He went to the market to buy milk.
mnalso written men	من	from / since	Ana mchit mn Casablanca l Rbat.I went from Casablanca to Rabat.
3laalso written aala, 3li	على	on / about	hdrna 3la lqadiya dyal khdma.We talked about the work matter.
kollchi	كولّشي	everything / everyone	ma3endich kollchi li khaSSni.I don't have everything I need.
dima	ديما	always	Yemma katsalli dima 9bl ma tnas.My mother always prays before she sleeps.
kaynalso written kayen	كاين	there is / there are	Kayn chi hanout 9rib?Is there a shop nearby?
khassalso written 5ass, khess	خاص	must / to need (khassni: I need)	Khass nmchiw daba.We have to go now.
b7al	بحال	like / same as	nta b7al khok, twil bezzaf.You are like your brother, very tall.
7italso written 7int	حيت	because / since	Ma jitch 7it kunt mrid.I didn't come because I was sick.

Expressions

Darija	Arabic script	Meaning	Example
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!
barakaalso written barka	بركا	enough / that's enough	baraka mn l7elwa a wldi.Enough sweets, my son.
nchallahalso written inchallah, nchalah, inchaallah	إن شاء الله	God willing / hopefully	nchallah tnj7i f limti7an a benti.God willing, you will pass your exam, my daughter.
l7amdollahalso written hamdollah, hamdoulah, lhamdoulillah	الحمد لله	thank God / thankfully	kolchi bikhir, l7amdollah.Everything's fine, thank God.
yak	ياك	right? / isn't it?	Yak labas ?Everything OK?
3ndakalso written 3endak	عنداك	watch out! / be careful!	3ndak! rah lkar jayaWatch out! The bus is coming

In the app, every word on this page has its voice, recorded at normal and slow speed.