Darija essentials every digital nomad should learn

As a digital nomad in Morocco, mastering basic Darija (Moroccan Arabic) can improve your experience from being just a tourist to having a robust cultural exposure. While French and English are spoken in urban areas such as Marrakech and Casablanca, Darija is the everyday language for over 90% of locals. From co-working spaces to markets, public transport, and cafes, knowing the basics of Darija helps digital nomads with bargaining, building connections, and handling daily logistics without constantly relying on translation apps.

Learning some Darija isn’t just a courtesy, but also a survival hack. Speaking simple phrases, such as greetings, can ease interactions outside major tourist cities and help you integrate more easily. Start with apps like Memrise or YouTube tutorials for audio practice. The goal is not to be perfect, but to demonstrate effort and communicate with ease. We have added the pronunciation to some of these words to help you pronounce them better.

Also read: Top virtual banking solutions for freelancers in Morocco

Greetings and basic interactions

Start conversations warmly. Moroccans love politeness.

• Hello / Hi: Salam (sah-lahm) or Salam alaikum (sah-lahm ah-lay-koom)
• How are you?: Labas? (lah-bahs) or Kif dayr? (keef die-r) – Reply with Labas, hamdulillah (lah-bahs, hahm-doo-lee-lah) meaning "Fine, thanks to God."
• Thank you: Shukran (shoo-krahn) – Essential after services, like Wi-Fi help in a cafe.
• You're welcome: La shukran ala wajib (lah shoo-krahn ah-lah wah-jeeb) – Means "No thanks necessary."
• Goodbye: Bslama (biss-lah-mah) – Casual farewell.
• Yes / No: Wah (wah) / La (lah) – Straightforward for quick responses.
• Afak – Please
• Smah liya – Sorry / excuse me
• Allah ykhalik – Thank you (more respectful, literally “may God keep you”)

Learning these phrases might help you show respect and prevent minor misunderstandings.

Directions and transport

Navigating Morocco's winding streets or taking taxis is easier with these.

• Where is xyz?: Fin xvz? (feen xyz)
• Left / Right / Straight: Liser (lee-sair) / Limen (lee-men) / Dghya (dree-ah)
• Stop here: Waqaf hna (wah-kaf hnah) – When you reach your destination, you can tell the bus driver to stop.
• How much?: Bshhal? (bish-hahl) – to ask for prices
• Airport / Train station: Matar (mah-tar) / Mahatta (mah-hat-tah).

Dining

Morocco's cuisine is often a highlight for digital nomads. Using some Darija when ordering food can improve your experience.

• Water: Ma (mah). Ma m3a ghaz (mah m-ah ghaz) is sparkling water.
• Coffee / Tea: Qahwa (kah-wah) / Atay (ah-tie)
• Bzaf sukker (b-zaf soo-kar) for extra sugar.
• Delicious: Zwin (zween) – Compliment street food vendors.

Shopping and bargaining

To get the best prices in Morocco, you might need to master the art of price haggling, unless of course you don’t mind spending the money. Haggling with a sprinkle of Darija improves the experience.

• How much?: Bshhal? (bish-hahl).
• Too expensive: Ghali bzaf (ghah-lee b-zaf)
• Lower the price: Nqas (n-kahs).
• I'll take it: Ghadi nakhod (ghah-dee nah-khod)

Also read: Morocco's growing appeal for European remote workers

Accommodation and daily life

For settling in as a nomad.

• Room / Apartment: Bit (beet) or Shqa (sh-kah)
• Wi-Fi: Wi-fi (wee-fee) – Ask ‘Fin wi-fi?’
• Quiet place: Makan hadi (mah-kan hah-dee)
• Help: 3awn (ah-oon)

Emergencies and help

Stay safe with these.

• Help!: 3awnouni! (ah-oo-noo-nee) – For urgent situations.
• Police: Polis (poh-lees)
• Doctor / Hospital: Tabib (tah-beeb) / Spitar (spee-tar)
• I don't understand: Ma fhemtsh (mah f-hemtsh) – When lost in conversation.

Also read: Why Morocco is becoming a strategic base for remote work

Other essentials digital nomads in Morocco should know

These Darija phrases help to equip digital nomads to navigate Morocco with confidence.  Practice daily and don’t be scared of making mistakes. Moroccans are forgiving and often switch to French/English if needed.

Another essential for a digital nomad in Morocco is access to seamless international payments. Having a reliable multi-currency account, such as Grey, supports transactions in USD, EUR, and GBP. You can also withdraw funds to your local MAD account at competitive rates. Users can obtain a virtual USD debit card to make online purchases or pay for subscriptions.

Sign up on Grey or download the app to get started today.

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