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Module 1 · Greetings and introductions

Lesson 10 · Beginner · 4 min

Bslama: taking your leave

Leaving politely, declining to stay longer, sending regards and saying good night.

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

In this lesson

  • Say that you need to leave
  • Politely decline to stay longer
  • Use goodbye and good-night phrases

Leaving a Moroccan home takes a while: your hosts will try to keep you (“ba9i bekri!”). Here’s how to leave without offending anyone.

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. InèsSafi, ghadi nmchi. Fat l7al.Right, I’m going to head off. It’s late.
  2. MehdiBa9i bekri! Gelsi chwiya.It’s still early! Stay a bit.
  3. InèsMa n9derch, 3ndi lkhedma ghedda.I can’t, I have work tomorrow.
  4. MehdiWakha. Nchoufek nhar ssebt?Okay. See you on Saturday?
  5. InèsInchallah. Sellem 3la lwalida.God willing. Say hello to your mother for me.
  6. MehdiYwsel. Thallay f rasek.I will. Take care of yourself.
  7. InèsBslama, tsb7i 3la khir… ah, tsbe7 3la khir!Bye, good night… oops, good night!
  8. MehdiHhh, w nti mn ahlo. Bslama!Haha, you too. Bye!
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

safiصافي
right, okay then
ghadi nmchiغادي نمشي
I’m going to go
fat l7alفات الحال
it’s late
ba9i bekriباقي بكري
it’s still early
gles / gelsiگلس / گلسي
sit down, stay (to a man / to a woman)
ma n9derchما نقدرش
I can’t
nchoufekنشوفك
see you
sellem 3la…سلم على…
say hello to … for me
ywselيوصل
I will (the message will get there)
thalla / thallay f rasekتهلا / تهلاي فراسك
take care of yourself (to a man / to a woman)
tsbe7 / tsb7i 3la khirتصبح / تصبحي على خير
good night (to a man / to a woman)
w nta / w nti mn ahloونتا / ونتي من أهلو
you too (reply to “good night”)

Repeat after me

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

  • Safi, ghadi nmchi. Fat l7al.

    صافي، غادي نمشي. فات الحال.

    Right, I’m going to head off. It’s late.

  • Ma n9derch, 3ndi lkhedma ghedda.

    ما نقدرش، عندي الخدمة غدا.

    I can’t, I have work tomorrow.

  • Inchallah. Sellem 3la lwalida.

    إن شاء الله. سلم على الواليدة.

    God willing. Say hello to your mother for me.

  • Ywsel. Thallay f rasek.

    يوصل. تهلاي فراسك.

    I will. Take care of yourself.

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7Why does Inès have to leave?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankBslama, tsbe7 3la !Bye, good night!
  3. Question 3 of 7Inès says good night to Mehdi, a man. Which form is correct?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “thalla / thallay f rasek” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “you too (reply to “good night”)” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 1Review (lesson 1): what does “mzyan” mean?

Your turn

You’re at friends’ home. Say you’re leaving, decline to stay and say good night.

Show an example answer

Safi, ghadi nmchi, fat l7al. Ma n9derch, chokran. Tsb7o 3la khir!

صافي، غادي نمشي، فات الحال. ما نقدرش، شكرا. تصبحو على خير!

Right, I’m off, it’s late. I can’t, thank you. Good night, everyone!

Summary

“Safi, ghadi nmchi” to leave, “ma n9derch” to decline, “sellem 3la…” to send regards and “tsbe7 3la khir” for good night.

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