Darija Start
Contents
Recently, I’ve started trying to learn Darija, the Moroccan dialect of Arabic. I’m going to try to keep some of my notes here.
I do need to figure out some things to reduce the friction of note taking - like how to type Arabic on the computer. I don’t have an Arabic keyboard. Currently, my process involves writing in Obsidian on my phone and then copying from the synced version. I also want to find an easy solution for audio - for pronunciation.
Edit: I made a shortcode for audio embeds, it does the trick for now 😊. I’m not going to put in all the sound files now - but I’ll put in the first 2 for testing.
Basic Greetings & Phrases
| Arabic | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| السلام عليكم | As-salaam ‘alaykum | Hello (literally: Peace be upon you) |
| وعليكم السلام | Wa’alaykum as-salaam | [Reply] Hello (and peace be upon you) |
| سلام | Salaam | Hi (causal greeting) |
| مرحبا | Marhba | Welcome / Hello |
| صباح الخير | Ṣbaḥ l-khayr | Good morning |
| صباح النور | Ṣbaḥ n-nūr | [Response] Good morning (lit. morning of light) |
| مساء الخير | Masā’ l-khayr | Good evening |
| مساء النور | Masā’ n-nūr | [Response] Good evening |
| تصبح على خير | Tsbaḥ ʿla khayr | Good night (said before going to sleep - it means “wake up to the good”) |
| وأنت من أهله | Wa-ant / wa-anti min 2halla | [Response] “And you be among them” (meaning the good I wake up to) |
| أحلام سعيدة | aHlam sa’ida | sweet (happy) dreams |
| كيداير؟ | kīdayr? | How are you? [to a male] |
| كيدايرة؟ | kīdayra? | How are you? [to a female] |
| لا باس؟ | Labās? | How are you? (lit. No harm?) |
| أنا لاباس | Ana labās | I’m fine |
| الحمد لله | Al-ḥamdu lillāh | [I’m fine,] praise be to God |
| أنا بخير | Ana bikhīr | I’m good / well |
| شنو سميتك؟ | Shnu smītek? | What’s your name? |
| سميتي … | Smītī … | My name is … |
| منين نتا؟ | mnīn nta? | Where are you from? [to a male] |
| منين نتي؟ | mnīn nti? | Where are you from? [to a female] |
| أنا من … | Ana mn … | I’m from … |
| فين كتسكن؟ | Fīn katskun? | Where do you live? |
| شنو الخدمة ديالك؟ | Shnu l-khidma dyālk? | What’s your job? |
| متشرفين | Mtsharfin | Nice to meet you |
| بسلامة | Bslāma | Goodbye |
| نشوفك من بعد | Nshūfek mn baʿd | See you later |
| تهلا فراسك | Tḥallā f rāsək | Take care (of yourself) [to a male] |
| شحال هادي ما شفتك | šḥāl hādi mā šuftek | Long time no see |
| حتى أنا | ḥtta ʾāna | Me too (also) |
| حتى غدا | ḥtta ghdda | See you tomorrow |
| شحال فعمرك؟ | šḥāl f ʿmrək? | How old are you? |
| ف عمري … عام | f ʿmrī … ʿām | I’m … years old |
| واش مزوّج؟ | wāš mzūwj? | Are you married? [to a male] |
| واش عندك الدراري؟ | wāš ʿandək drārī? | Do you have children? |
| الحمد لله على السلامة | al-ḥamdu lillāh ʿla s-salāma | Welcome back (lit. Praise be to God for [your] safety) |
| مرحبا بكم فالمغرب | marḥba bikum f l-məġrib | Welcome to Morocco |
| عيد ميلاد سعيد | ʿīd mīlād saʿīd | Happy Birthday |
| نهار زوين | nhār zwīn | Have a nice day |