Lesson 18 · Beginner · 4 min
3lach? Kifach? Asking questions
Question words: where, why, when, how, who, how much.
- Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.
In this lesson
- Use the main question words
- Answer “because” with “7it”
- Recognise “3ndek l7e9” (you’re right)
A little girl asks her dad question after question. Perfect for learning all the question words!
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
- NourBba, fin ghadi?Dad, where are you going?
- AbdellahGhadi l lbanka.I’m going to the bank.
- Nour3lach?Why?
- Abdellah7it khassni nkhelles lkra.Because I have to pay the rent.
- NourW fou9ach ghadi trje3?And when are you coming back?
- AbdellahMen b3d sa3a. 3lach katsawli bzzaf?In an hour. Why are you asking so many questions?
- NourKifach n3ref ila ma sawltch?How would I know if I don’t ask?
- Abdellah3ndek l7e9! Yallah, aji m3aya.You’re right! Come on, come with me.
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
- finفين
- where
- 3lachعلاش
- why
- 7itحيت
- because
- fou9achفوقاش
- when
- kifachكيفاش
- how
- chkounشكون
- who
- chhalشحال
- how much, how many
- sawlسول
- to ask
- men b3dمن بعد
- later; in (+ time)
- 3ndek l7e9عندك الحق
- you’re right
- aji m3ayaأجي معايا
- come with me
Repeat after me
Read each phrase out loud, then cover it and say it from memory.
Bba, fin ghadi?
بّا، فين غادي؟
Dad, where are you going?
3lach?
علاش؟
Why?
W fou9ach ghadi trje3?
وفوقاش غادي ترجع؟
And when are you coming back?
3ndek l7e9! Yallah, aji m3aya.
عندك الحق! يالله، أجي معايا.
You’re right! Come on, come with me.
Quiz
Your turn
Ask someone three questions: where they’re going, when they’ll be back and why.
Show an example answer
Fin ghadi? Fou9ach ghadi trje3? 3lach?
فين غادي؟ فوقاش غادي ترجع؟ علاش؟
Where are you going? When will you be back? Why?
Summary
Fin (where), 3lach (why) → 7it (because), fou9ach (when), kifach (how), chkoun (who), chhal (how much).
Finished?
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