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Module 5 · Transport and directions

Lesson 50 · Elementary · 4 min

3awenni! Asking for help

Asking for help, finding a pharmacy and knowing the emergency numbers.

  • Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.

In this lesson

  • Ask for help clearly
  • Explain simply what happened
  • Know the emergency numbers

If something goes wrong, a few phrases are enough. In Morocco: 15 for an ambulance (civil protection), 19 for the police.

No audio for this lesson yet

This lesson hasn’t been recorded yet, and we won’t fake it with a made-up voice. Read the dialogue out loud with the help of the transliteration key.

Dialogue

  1. Victor3afak, 3awenni! Fin kayn chi farmasyan?Please, help me! Where is there a pharmacy?
  2. HouriaChno w9e3 lik?What happened to you?
  3. VictorSa7bti t7at w tjer7at f rjelha.My friend fell and hurt her leg.
  4. HouriaLfarmasyan 9rib, f zzen9a jjaya 3la limen.The pharmacy is close, in the next street on the right.
  5. VictorW ila kan khassha tbib?And if she needs a doctor?
  6. HouriaKayn sbitar f lwest d lmdina. W ila kan chi 7aja khatira, 3iyyet l 15.There’s a hospital in the town centre. And if it’s serious, call 15.
  7. VictorChokran bzzaf. Lah yjazik bikhir!Thank you so much. God reward you!
  8. HouriaBla jmil. Lah ychafiha!You’re welcome. I hope she gets better!
How to read the transliteration

Darija is written here in Latin letters, the way many Moroccans text. A few symbols stand for sounds English, French and Swedish don't have:

3
a tight sound from the throat (Arabic ع)
7
a breathy h, stronger than English h (ح)
9
a k made deep in the throat (ق)
gh
like a French r (غ)
kh
like the ch in Scottish loch or German Bach (خ)
ch
like English sh (ش)

Vocabulary

3awenniعاوني
help me
lfarmasyanالفرماسيان
the pharmacy
chno w9e3?شنو وقع؟
what happened?
t7 / t7atطاح / طاحت
he fell / she fell
tjer7تجرح
to get hurt
rjelرجل
leg, foot
zzen9aالزنقة
the street
tbibطبيب
doctor
sbitarسبيطار
hospital
khatir / khatiraخطير / خطيرة
serious, dangerous
3iyyet l…عيط ل…
call…15: ambulance (civil protection). 19: police.
lah yjazik bikhirالله يجازيك بخير
God reward you (deep thanks)

Repeat after me

Read each phrase out loud, then cover it and say it from memory.

  • 3afak, 3awenni! Fin kayn chi farmasyan?

    عافاك، عاوني! فين كاين شي فرماسيان؟

    Please, help me! Where is there a pharmacy?

  • Sa7bti t7at w tjer7at f rjelha.

    صاحبتي طاحت وتجرحات فرجلها.

    My friend fell and hurt her leg.

  • W ila kan khassha tbib?

    وإلا كان خاصها طبيب؟

    And if she needs a doctor?

  • Chokran bzzaf. Lah yjazik bikhir!

    شكرا بزاف. الله يجازيك بخير!

    Thank you so much. God reward you!

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7What happened to Victor’s friend?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blank3afak, ! Fin kayn chi farmasyan?Please, help me! Where is there a pharmacy?
  3. Question 3 of 7Which number do you call for an ambulance in Morocco?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “tjer7” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “what happened?” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 2Review (lesson 2): what does “kif dayr / kif dayra” mean?

Your turn

Ask for help: someone has fallen, you’re looking for a pharmacy and a doctor.

Show an example answer

3afak, 3awenni! Sa7bi t7 w tjer7. Fin kayn lfarmasyan? Wach kayn chi tbib 9rib?

عافاك، عاوني! صاحبي طاح وتجرح. فين كاين الفرماسيان؟ واش كاين شي طبيب قريب؟

Please help me! My friend fell and got hurt. Where’s the pharmacy? Is there a doctor nearby?

Summary

“3afak, 3awenni!”, “chno w9e3?”, “fin kayn lfarmasyan / sbitar?”, and 15 (ambulance) / 19 (police).

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