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Module 10 · Moroccan culture and real conversations

Lesson 95 · Lower intermediate · 4 min

Asking for clarification

Asking someone to repeat, asking what a word means, rephrasing and thanking them for their patience.

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

In this lesson

  • Ask someone to repeat slowly
  • Ask what a word means
  • Check you understood by rephrasing

Not understanding everything is normal. These phrases turn a misunderstanding into a mini-lesson, and Moroccans are often happy to explain.

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. Lalla ZahraSir l derb lli mor jjame3, tmma ghadi tl9a lkhiyyat.Go to the derb behind the mosque, you’ll find the tailor there.
  2. ErikSme7 lia, ma fhemtch mzyan. 3awdi b chwiya?Sorry, I didn’t quite understand. Could you repeat slowly?
  3. Lalla ZahraLkhiyyat… f derb… mor jjame3.The tailor… in the derb… behind the mosque.
  4. ErikChno ma3na « derb »?What does “derb” mean?
  5. Lalla ZahraDerb howa zen9a sghira f lmdina.A derb is a small street in the medina.
  6. ErikAh, fhemt. Ya3ni khassni ndour mor jjame3?Ah, I see. So I have to go round behind the mosque?
  7. Lalla ZahraB dbt! Nta fhim.Exactly! You’re quick.
  8. ErikChokran 3la sber dyalek!Thank you for your patience!
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

ma fhemtch mzyanما فهمتش مزيان
I didn’t quite understand
3awed / 3awdi b chwiyaعاود / عاودي بشوية
repeat slowly (to a man / to a woman)
chno ma3na…?شنو معنى…؟
what does … mean?
ya3ni…?يعني…؟
so…? you mean…?
khassniخاصني
I have to
b dbtبالضبط
exactly
fhim / fhimaفهيم / فهيمة
quick, understanding (m. / f.)
sberصبر
patience
kifach katgoulou…?كيفاش كتقولو…؟
how do you say…?
kteb liyaكتب ليا
write it down for me
derbدرب
medina alley

Repeat after me

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

  • Sme7 lia, ma fhemtch mzyan. 3awdi b chwiya?

    سمح ليا، ما فهمتش مزيان. عاودي بشوية؟

    Sorry, I didn’t quite understand. Could you repeat slowly?

  • Chno ma3na « derb »?

    شنو معنى «درب»؟

    What does “derb” mean?

  • Ah, fhemt. Ya3ni khassni ndour mor jjame3?

    آه، فهمت. يعني خاصني ندور مور الجامع؟

    Ah, I see. So I have to go round behind the mosque?

  • Chokran 3la sber dyalek!

    شكرا على الصبر ديالك!

    Thank you for your patience!

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7What does “derb” mean?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankChno « derb »?What does “derb” mean?
  3. Question 3 of 7How do you ask someone to write a word down?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “kteb liya” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “repeat slowly (to a man / to a woman)” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 5Review (lesson 5): what does “lfransawiya” mean?

Your turn

Someone gives you directions too fast: ask them to repeat, ask about a word, then rephrase.

Show an example answer

3awed b chwiya, 3afak. Chno ma3na « nichan »? … Ya3ni nmchi tol?

عاود بشوية، عافاك. شنو معنى «نيشان»؟ … يعني نمشي طول؟

Please say it again slowly. What does “nichan” mean? … So I go straight on?

Summary

“Ma fhemtch mzyan”, “3awed b chwiya”, “chno ma3na…?”, “ya3ni…?”, “kteb liya” and “chokran 3la sber dyalek”.

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