Table of Contents 10 sections
In Morocco, a greeting is not a quick “hi.” It’s a small ritual — a few questions in a row, a blessing, a reply. Learn the handful of phrases below and you’ll be able to start any conversation the way locals do, whether you’re in a taxi in Casablanca or a café in Fes.
Darija (الدارجة) is the everyday spoken language of Morocco. It differs noticeably from Modern Standard Arabic, and it borrows from Amazigh (Berber), French and Spanish — which is why it sounds so distinctive, and why learning it directly pays off fast.
The greeting ritual
Unlike English, where you ask “how are you?” once, Moroccans typically check in several ways, one after another. Each question gets a short answer, and the blessing l-hamdulillah (“praise God”) is nearly always attached. The standard flow looks like this:
Core greetings
| Darija | Say it | Meaning | Note | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| سلام | salam | hello | Works any time of day. | |
| السلام عليكم | salamu 3alaykum | peace be upon you | Reply: وعليكم السلام (w 3alaykum s-salam). | |
| لاباس؟ | labas? | how are you? / all good? | Also the answer: “labas.” | |
| لاباس عليك؟ | labas 3lik? | are you well? | A slightly warmer version. | |
| كيف داير؟ / كيف دايرة؟ | kif dayer? / kif dayra? | how are you? (to a man / woman) | Match the person you’re speaking to. | |
| كلشي مزيان؟ | kolshi mezyan? | is everything good? | Friendly follow-up. | |
| لاباس، الحمد لله | labas, l-hamdulillah | I’m fine, thank God | The standard reply. | |
| وانتا؟ / وانتي؟ | w nta? / w nti? | and you? (m / f) | Hand the question back. |
The numeral 3 in “3alaykum” is the standard chat stand-in for the Arabic letter ع (ʿayn) — a throaty sound with no English match.
Time of day and goodbyes
| Darija | Say it | Meaning | Reply | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| صباح الخير | sbah l-khir | good morning | صباح النور sbah n-nur | |
| مساء الخير | msa l-khir | good evening | مساء النور msa n-nur | |
| تصبح على خير | tsbah 3la khir | good night | — | |
| بسلامة | bslama | goodbye (“go with peace”) | Say it back. |
Introducing yourself
| Darija | Say it | Meaning | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| سميتي … | smiti … | my name is … | |
| شنو سميتك؟ | shnu smitek? | what’s your name? | |
| متشرفين | mtsharfin | nice to meet you (“we are honored”) | |
| من فين نتا؟ / نتي؟ | mn fin nta? / nti? | where are you from? (m / f) | |
| أنا من … | ana mn … | I’m from … |
At someone’s home: hospitality phrases
Hospitality is central to Moroccan life, and tea is often how it’s expressed. You’ll hear and use a few more phrases when you’re a guest:
| تفضل | tfaddal | please, go ahead | |
| مرحبا بك | marhba bik | welcome | |
| شكرا بزاف | shukran bzaf | thank you very much | |
| الله يعطيك الصحة | Llah y3tik s-sa7a | may God give you health (a warm thank-you) | |
| ماشي مشكل | mashi mushkil | no problem |
Darija vs. Modern Standard Arabic
If you’ve studied standard Arabic, you’ll recognise a lot — but everyday Moroccans rarely say the textbook version. Here’s how common phrases compare:
| Meaning | Modern Standard Arabic | Darija |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? | kayfa ḥāluka? | labas? / kif dayer? |
| Goodbye | maʿa s-salāma | bslama |
| Yes | naʿam | iyeh |
| No | lā | la |
| Good | jayyid | mezyan |
| OK | ḥasanan | wakha / safi |
| Please | min faḍlika | 3afak |
| You’re welcome | ʿafwan | l-3afu |
Standard Arabic will usually be understood, but can sound formal or bookish in casual conversation.
A full exchange
Quick check
1. Which word do you use to ask a woman “how are you?”
kif dayra? (كيف دايرة؟) — the ending changes for a woman.
2. What is the usual reply to “labas?”
“labas, l-hamdulillah” — or simply “labas.”
3. How do you reply to “sbah l-khir”?
“sbah n-nur” (صباح النور).
Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the chain. One “labas?” then straight to business can feel cold.
- Ignoring gender. dayer / dayra and nta / nti change with the person you’re addressing.
- Forgetting l-hamdulillah. It’s part of almost every “I’m fine.”
- Only using standard Arabic. It will be understood but may sound stiff in a casual setting.
- Trusting one spelling. Latin spellings vary; listen to Moroccan speakers and copy the sound.
Frequently asked questions
Is Darija the same as Arabic?
Darija is a dialect of Arabic, but it differs a lot from Modern Standard Arabic in vocabulary and pronunciation, and it borrows from Amazigh, French and Spanish. Speakers of standard Arabic can find it hard to follow at first.
Can I get by with French or English in Morocco?
Often yes, especially in tourist areas — but leading with even one Darija phrase is widely appreciated and usually changes the tone of the interaction.
Should I learn Arabic script or Latin transliteration first?
Latin transliteration gets you speaking faster; Arabic script prepares you to read and to move into other Arabic varieties later. Many learners start with transliteration and add script alongside.
Is “labas” a question or an answer?
Both. “Labas?” asks if all is well; “labas” says that it is.
Are the phrases the same across all of Morocco?
The core greetings are understood everywhere, though accents and a few word choices vary by region.