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Booking a Hotel
Shopping in the Souk
In the Restaurant
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Weekly Travel Article
Marrakech Magic
By: Gems Ouziad
Step a thousand years back in time into one of Shaharazard’s tales, weave through the snake charmers and never-ending marketplaces full of vibrant colors and the smells of exotic spices and orange trees. Listen to the deep enchanting notes of the Gnawa musicians and the methodic calls from the vendors as they vie for your attention. Sit on a terrace sipping mint tea and watching acrobats and dancers awe the crowds below. Such is the magic of the Medina in Marrakech.
Lesson 9: Darija (Moroccan Arabic) Shopping In The Souq
Use Moroccan Arabic (Darija) when wandering through the windy streets of the souk or buying the essentials for the neighborhood hanut. Learn useful bartering techniques and phrases for Moroccan shopping and watch the prices drop. Travel back centuries to the land of trade...
Useful Phrases for Shopping in Morocco:
I would like to buy... - bghit nechri...
How much is it? - bi chHal Hda?
Is there one cheaper than this? - wash kayn waHd rkhiS åala hda?
Can I look at it? - wakha nchufha?
I am only looking - ghir kanchuf
Moroccan Bartering Terms:
It is too much for me - bazzaf åaliya
It is too expensive - ghali bazzaf
Give a good price - Sawb måaya f t-taman.
A good price - chi taman myzian
A reasonable price - shi taman mnasb
Lower the price - nqS chwiya
I'll add nothing - manzid walu
What's the last price? - akhir taman chHal?
That's my last price - hada huwa akhir taman dyali
Note: In the souk bartering is a way of life. Though Morocco does have a few places with fixed prices, such as in the restaurants, at the hanut (explained below), bus tickets & taxi fares, mostly it is a bargaining country.
Beginning Darija
Morocco Explorer helps you build your knowledge of Moroccan Arabic from scratch. Click on one of the lessons below to get started.
Tips for Bartering in Morocco:
1.) Do not look excited about the merchandise
2.) Praise the seller
3.) Look affronted by the seller's price.
4.) Say that a diffierent boutique had a lower price
5.) Point out any flaws in the merchandise
6.) Say you do not have enough money to meet the seller's "lowest price"
7.) Walk Away - this is the magic trick, usually the seller will wait till you a little ways away and then call you back for your desired price
The Basics
Numbers
Nouns
Adjectives
Verbs
Useful Souq Volcabulary:
Did you know...
carpet - zerbiya
purse / bag - sak
silver - neqra
gold - dheb
copper - lnhas lhmer
brass- nhas Sfer
mirror - mraya
pottery - fakhkhar
art - fenn
jewelry -
The full Arabic name of Morocco is ‘Al-Mamlaka al-Maghribiya’, which translates to ‘The Western Kingdom’.
More Lessons:
Moroccan Volcabulary for the Hanut:
Note: A hanut is a type of Moroccan convenience store. You can find one on almost street, if not a couple. They are little wallside stores that sell everything from bread to shampoo. It is a good place to buy snacks. For more information click here.
Common Phrases
Moroccan Greetings
Booking a Hotel
Shopping in the Souq
In the Restaurant
bread - khobz
butter - zbDa
jelly - konfitur
eggs - beyd
cheese - fromaj
milk - Halib
yogurt - yogurt
chocolate - choklat
honey - asal
flour - dagig
coffee - qouwa
sugar - sukar
pen - stilo
pencil - qlem
soup - sabon
shampoo - shampwan
batteries - Hajarat
toilet paper - kajit
toothbrush - chita t'snåa
toothpaste - dantifris
Next lesson...
Nouns 2
Moroccan Arabic, also known as Darija, is not a written language. It is a dialect of Modern Arabic which also has influences from French, Spanish, Berber, and other African languages. Moroccan Arabic (Darija) is only written as communication between friends and is often written using either Arabic or English characters. Since there is no formal writing, spelling varies and is almost always phonetic. Formal Documents, signs, newspapers, magazines, books, advertisement, menus, etc. are all in Classic Arabic. Though Moroccan Arabic (darija) tends to use less vowels in their writing than typical Classic Arabic.