Darija ProHow do you learn darija when you already understand some?
Many of us understand darija at the family table but search for words when it is time to answer. It is not a memory problem. What is missing is practice out loud. Here is the order we suggest, with a guide for each step.
Start by reading what people send you
Family messages are the first way in. They mix Latin letters with the digits 3, 7 and 9, which stand for Arabic letters. Once you know those three digits, most messages read in one go.
The first words, and the first phrases
Eight words are enough for a first polite conversation: please, thank you, how are you, okay. Here they are with their example sentence, from the app's dictionary.
The basic phrases guide puts them in context: greeting, asking for news, thanking at the table. The vocabulary pages then sort more than 250 words by theme.
| Darija | Arabic script | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3afakalso written afak, 3afek | عافاك | please | 3tini lma 3afakGive me some water, please |
| labasalso written la bas, labes | لا باس | fine / all is well | labas 3lik?Are you well? |
| chukranalso written choukran, chokran | شكرا | thank you | chukran bezzaf a khouyathank you very much, my brother |
| wakhaalso written wa5a, wakhkha | واخا | okay / all right | wakha, nji m3akokay, I'll come with you |
| bezzafalso written bzaf, bzzaf | بزاف | a lot / very | kanbghi atay bezzafI like tea a lot |
| mzyanalso written mezyan, mzian | مزيان | good / fine | had atay mzyanthis tea is good |
| 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? |
The verbs: present, past, future
The present is marked with ka- before the verb, the past shows in the ending and the future is built with ghadi. The conjugation guide takes one verb, bgha (to want), and follows it through every tense, in the feminine and in the negative.
Speak out loud, even on your own
Understanding is not enough to answer. The sentence has to come out. Repeat each word after the voice, at slow speed, then at normal speed.
The app's Coach plays fourteen real-life scenes with you: at the café, in a taxi, with the in-laws, at the souk. It plays the other part and offers two lines each turn. “Say it” listens to your sentence and answers Good, Almost or Try again.
A little every day
Three minutes a day beat an hour on Sunday. The app's daily dose fits in three drills, drawn from the scene in progress and the words you kept. There is no score to defend: you pick up where you left off.
And for children
With little ones, start with animals, food and the body: concrete words you can point at. The dedicated guide offers a simple method for home.
Questions about this guide
Is darija Arabic?
It is the Arabic spoken in Morocco. It shares many words with Standard Arabic, but it has its own pronunciation, its own grammar and words from Amazigh, French and Spanish.
Do I need to learn the Arabic alphabet?
Not to start. Messages are mostly written in Latin letters with digits. The app shows the Arabic script on every card, so you get used to it little by little.
Where do I start if I understand nothing?
Start with the essential words and the greetings, then the basic phrases. Listen to each word and repeat it out loud before you move on.