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Module 6 · Tourism and travel

Lesson 56 · Elementary · 4 min

In the medina: declining a guide

Saying no politely but firmly to an unofficial guide.

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

In this lesson

  • Decline an offer politely
  • Insist without being rude
  • Say you want to walk on your own

Unofficial “guides” often offer their services. A smiling, repeated “la, chokran” is usually enough. Official guides wear a badge.

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. YounessMr7ba! Bghiti guide? Nwerrik lmdina.Welcome! Want a guide? I’ll show you the medina.
  2. ClaraLa, chokran. 3ndi lkharita.No, thanks. I have a map.
  3. YounessLmdina s3iba, ghadi ttelfi!The medina is tricky, you’ll get lost!
  4. ClaraMa kayn mochkil, kanbghi ntlef chwiya.No problem, I like getting a bit lost.
  5. YounessGhir l ddabbagha, 9riba bzzaf!Just to the tanneries, it’s really close!
  6. ClaraLa, chokran, safi. Bghit nmchi bou7di.No thanks, that’s enough. I want to go on my own.
  7. YounessWakha, wakha. Mr7ba bik.Okay, okay. You’re welcome here.
  8. ClaraLah y3tik sse77a. Bslama.Thank you. Goodbye.
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

nwerrikنوريك
I’ll show you
s3ib / s3ibaصعيب / صعيبة
difficult (m. / f.)
ttelfi / ttlefتتلفي / تتلف
you’ll get lost (woman / man)
kanbghiكنبغي
I like
ddabbaghaالدباغة
the tanneries
bou7diبوحدي
alone, by myself
la, chokranلا، شكرا
no, thank you
safiصافي
that’s enough
guideݣيد
guideOfficial guides wear a badge; agree the price in advance.
lkharitaالخريطة
the map

Repeat after me

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

  • La, chokran. 3ndi lkharita.

    لا، شكرا. عندي الخريطة.

    No, thanks. I have a map.

  • Ma kayn mochkil, kanbghi ntlef chwiya.

    ما كاين مشكل، كنبغي نتلف شوية.

    No problem, I like getting a bit lost.

  • La, chokran, safi. Bghit nmchi bou7di.

    لا، شكرا، صافي. بغيت نمشي بوحدي.

    No thanks, that’s enough. I want to go on my own.

  • Lah y3tik sse77a. Bslama.

    الله يعطيك الصحة. بسلامة.

    Thank you. Goodbye.

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7What does the man offer?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankLa, chokran, safi. Bghit nmchi .No thanks, that’s enough. I want to go on my own.
  3. Question 3 of 7What’s the best way to decline?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “la, chokran” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “alone, by myself” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 37Review (lesson 37): what does “l3tria” mean?

Your turn

Someone insists on guiding you. Decline three times, politely but clearly.

Show an example answer

La, chokran. … La, chokran, 3ndi lkharita. … Safi, bghit nmchi bou7di.

لا، شكرا. … لا، شكرا، عندي الخريطة. … صافي، بغيت نمشي بوحدي.

No, thank you. … No thanks, I have a map. … That’s enough, I want to go alone.

Summary

“La, chokran”, “3ndi lkharita”, “bghit nmchi bou7di” and “safi” to close politely.

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