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Module 5 · Transport and directions

Lesson 42 · Elementary · 4 min

The shared grand taxi between towns

Finding a grand taxi, buying a seat and understanding when it leaves.

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

In this lesson

  • Ask where taxis leave for a town
  • Buy a seat
  • Understand “mnin ykmel” (when it’s full)

A grand taxi leaves when its six seats are taken. You can buy two seats for more comfort.

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. TravellerFin kaynin taxiyat l Meknes?Where are the taxis for Meknes?
  2. DriverHna. Ba9a blassa wa7da.Here. There’s one seat left.
  3. TravellerBchhal l blassa?How much is a seat?
  4. DriverTlatin dirham.Thirty dirhams.
  5. TravellerWakha. Fou9ach ghadi tmchiw?Okay. When do you leave?
  6. DriverMnin ykmel. Nti lakhra!When it’s full. You’re the last one!
  7. TravellerMzyan! Wach n9der ngles l9eddam?Great! Can I sit in the front?
  8. DriverLa, l9eddam 3amer. Tal3i lor.No, the front is full. Get in the back.
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

taxiyatالطاكسيات
taxis
blassaبلاصة
a seat, place
ba9a / ba9iباقا / باقي
there’s … left (f. / m.)
tlatinتلاتين
thirty
tmchiwتمشيو
you leave, go (plural)
mnin ykmelمنين يكمل
when it’s full
lakhor / lakhraاللخر / اللخرة
the last (m. / f.)
l9eddamالقدام
the front
lorاللور
the back
3amerعامر
full

Repeat after me

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

  • Fin kaynin taxiyat l Meknes?

    فين كاينين الطاكسيات لمكناس؟

    Where are the taxis for Meknes?

  • Bchhal l blassa?

    بشحال البلاصة؟

    How much is a seat?

  • Wakha. Fou9ach ghadi tmchiw?

    واخا. فوقاش غادي تمشيو؟

    Okay. When do you leave?

  • Mzyan! Wach n9der ngles l9eddam?

    مزيان! واش نقدر نگلس القدام؟

    Great! Can I sit in the front?

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7When does the taxi leave?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankBchhal l ?How much is a seat?
  3. Question 3 of 7How can you travel more comfortably in a grand taxi?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “lakhor / lakhra” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “full” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 32Review (lesson 32): what does “tlatin” mean?

Your turn

Ask where the taxis for a town are, the price of a seat and when the taxi leaves.

Show an example answer

Fin kaynin taxiyat l Fas? Bchhal l blassa? Fou9ach ghadi tmchiw?

فين كاينين الطاكسيات لفاس؟ بشحال البلاصة؟ فوقاش غادي تمشيو؟

Where are the taxis for Fez? How much per seat? When do you leave?

Summary

“Fin kaynin taxiyat l…?”, “bchhal l blassa?”, “mnin ykmel”, “l9eddam / lor”.

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