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Module 7 · Family and relationships

Lesson 66 · Lower intermediate · 4 min

At the table: hospitality

Responding to a host who insists, saying you’re full and blessing the home.

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

In this lesson

  • Accept and refuse food politely
  • Say you’re full
  • Thank the host with a blessing

Your host will insist several times that you eat: it’s generosity. “Chb3t, l7amdoulillah” politely ends the insisting.

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 FatimaKol, kol! 3lach ma katakolch?Eat, eat! Why aren’t you eating?
  2. PaulKanakol, kanakol! Lkeskes bnin bzzaf.I am eating, I am! The couscous is delicious.
  3. Lalla FatimaZid chwiya d l7em.Have a bit more meat.
  4. PaulLah ykhallik, chb3t, l7amdoulillah.Thank you, I’m full, thank God.
  5. Lalla FatimaMa klit walou! Ghir chwiya.You’ve eaten nothing! Just a little.
  6. PaulWakha, ghir chwiya. Lah yjazik bikhir.Okay, just a little. Thank you so much.
  7. Lalla FatimaBssa7tek! W men b3d, atay.Enjoy! And then, tea.
  8. PaulLah ybarek f darkom.May God bless your home.
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

kol / kouliكول / كولي
eat (to a man / to a woman)
kanakolكناكل
I’m eating
katakolكتاكل
you eat
zidزيد
have more, add
chb3tشبعت
I’m full
ma klit walouما كليت والو
I / you ate nothing
bssa7tekبصحتك
enjoy, bon appétit
lah ybarek f darkomالله يبارك فداركم
God bless your homeA phrase guests say after the meal.
lah yjazik bikhirالله يجازيك بخير
thank you so much (God reward you)
b lyed limnaباليد اليمنى
with the right hand

Repeat after me

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

  • Kanakol, kanakol! Lkeskes bnin bzzaf.

    كناكل، كناكل! الكسكس بنين بزاف.

    I am eating, I am! The couscous is delicious.

  • Lah ykhallik, chb3t, l7amdoulillah.

    الله يخليك، شبعت، الحمد لله.

    Thank you, I’m full, thank God.

  • Wakha, ghir chwiya. Lah yjazik bikhir.

    واخا، غير شوية. الله يجازيك بخير.

    Okay, just a little. Thank you so much.

  • Lah ybarek f darkom.

    الله يبارك فداركم.

    May God bless your home.

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7How does Paul say he’s full?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankLah ykhallik, , l7amdoulillah.Thank you, I’m full, thank God.
  3. Question 3 of 7What does a guest say to bless the home after the meal?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “b lyed limna” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “I / you ate nothing” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 24Review (lesson 24): what does “tfeddlo” mean?

Your turn

Your host insists three times: accept once, then say you’re full and thank them.

Show an example answer

Wakha, ghir chwiya. … Chb3t, l7amdoulillah. Lah ybarek f darkom.

واخا، غير شوية. … شبعت، الحمد لله. الله يبارك فداركم.

Okay, just a little. … I’m full, thank God. God bless your home.

Summary

“Kol!” — “Kanakol!”, “chb3t, l7amdoulillah” to stop, “bssa7tek” and “lah ybarek f darkom”.

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