Morocco runs on Darija (Moroccan Arabic) in daily life and French in business and signage — but in the Berber south around Ouarzazate, the Drâa and the Dadès, Tamazight (Amazigh) is the mother tongue of most villages. A handful of phrases in any of them opens doors that money alone cannot.
In this guide
Greetings and basics
Greetings matter enormously in Morocco. Opening an interaction with the right words signals respect and almost always produces a warmer response. Darija greetings are similar to Modern Standard Arabic but with a distinctly Moroccan accent — the 'q' often becomes a glottal stop, and vowels are compressed. Don't worry about perfection; the attempt is what counts.
- Salam / Salam alaykum — Hello / Peace be upon you (standard greeting)
- Wa alaykum salam — And upon you peace (response)
- Labas? / Labas, hamdullah — How are you? / Fine, praise God
- Shukran — Thank you
- La shukran — No, thank you (essential for polite refusals)
- Smah liya — Excuse me / I'm sorry
- Bslama — Goodbye
- Wakha — OK / Alright
Numbers and money
Numbers in Moroccan Arabic (Darija) follow a familiar pattern from Modern Standard Arabic. For market haggling and taxi fares, these are the most useful:
- Wahed, jouj, tlata, rba, khamsa — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Stta, sba, tmanya, tsa'oud, a'shra — 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
- A'shr-in, tlat-in — 20, 30 (and so on by tens)
- Miya — 100 | Alf — 1,000
- Bshhal? — How much?
- Ghali bzzaf — Too expensive
- Khfef shwiya — A little cheaper
- Mashi mushkil — No problem
French essentials
French is the language of menus, hotels, road signs and business in Morocco — a legacy of the French Protectorate (1912–1956) that remains deeply embedded. Even basic French dramatically expands what you can communicate, especially in Fes, Rabat and Casablanca.
- Bonjour / Bonsoir — Good day / Good evening
- S'il vous plaît / Merci — Please / Thank you
- L'addition, s'il vous plaît — The bill, please
- Où est...? — Where is...?
- Je voudrais... — I would like...
- Combien ça coûte? — How much does it cost?
- C'est trop cher — It's too expensive
- Parlez-vous anglais? — Do you speak English?
Pronunciation notes and haggling
Darija compresses vowels significantly compared with Modern Standard Arabic — 'drari' (children) sounds almost like a single syllable. The letters 'gh' (غ) and 'kh' (خ) are guttural sounds not in English: 'gh' resembles a soft French 'r'; 'kh' resembles the 'ch' in 'loch'. Neither is difficult with a little practice. In the southern villages it is worth carrying a few Tamazight words too — 'azul' (hello) and 'tanmirt' (thank you) earn genuine warmth from a Berber host on the kasbah road, where Arabic is a second language and English a distant third.
For haggling in the souks, the ritual is friendly and expected. Open in French or Darija, ask 'bshhal?' (how much?), respond to the price with a wince and 'ghali bzzaf' (too expensive), offer roughly 40–60% of the opening price, and negotiate from there. A smile and good humour throughout make the exchange enjoyable for both sides. Walking away — slowly — often produces the final best price.
Frequently asked
Do people in Morocco speak English?
In tourist areas, hotels, riads and with guides — yes, often quite well. Younger Moroccans in the cities increasingly speak English. In the medina souks, French and Darija dominate; in the villages and the south, Darija or Tamazight with limited French. A few phrases in either language go a very long way.
What language is spoken in Morocco?
Morocco's official languages are Classical Arabic and Amazigh (Tamazight). Darija (Moroccan Arabic) is the everyday spoken tongue for most Moroccans. French is widely used in business, education and signage. Spanish is spoken in the north (Tangier, Tétouan, Nador). In practice, French and Darija cover most travel situations.
Is Moroccan Arabic the same as Egyptian or Lebanese Arabic?
Darija is a distinct dialect with significant Amazigh, French and Spanish influences. It is notably different from Egyptian, Levantine or Gulf dialects — speakers of those dialects often find Darija difficult to understand. Modern Standard Arabic (the written, formal register) is understood but not spoken conversationally.
How do you say 'thank you' in Moroccan Arabic?
'Shukran' (شكراً) — borrowed directly from Modern Standard Arabic and universally understood. The purely Darija equivalent is 'baraka llahu fik' (God bless you), which you'll hear in response to a compliment or act of generosity.
Do I need French to travel in Morocco?
Not strictly — tourist infrastructure in Marrakech and the major sites runs well in English. But French opens far more of Morocco: menus at local restaurants, conversations with riad owners, directions, taxi negotiations and everything off the tourist trail. Even a few phrases make a disproportionate difference.
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Culture
Morocco Etiquette & Customs
A little cultural awareness goes a long way in Morocco, and even further in the conservative Berber villages of the south. Dress modestly, greet warmly, ask before photographing people, use your right hand, and embrace the unhurried Amazigh pace of mint tea and conversation that governs life along the kasbah road.
Culture
Moroccan Food & Drink
Moroccan cuisine is one of the world's great food cultures, and the pre-Saharan south has its own register: slow-cooked tagines scented with Drâa Valley dates, Berber bread baked in the sand, couscous Fridays in the kasbah villages, and the endless ritual of sweet mint tea poured in the shade of a palmery.
Practical
Getting Around Morocco
Morocco has good trains between the northern cities, comfortable intercity buses — and for the south, where the railway never reaches, private drivers. Ouarzazate, the gorges and the Sahara sit well beyond the rail map, so the kasbah road is a driver's-and-bus country. The right mix depends on your route and pace.