Lesson 36 · Elementary · 4 min
Traditional clothes
Buying a djellaba and babouches, and naming everyday clothes.
- Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.
In this lesson
- Name everyday clothes
- Choose by season and fabric
- Ask for the total price
The djellaba is worn all year round, with lighter fabrics in summer. Yellow “bel3a” (babouches) are a classic.
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
- CustomerBghit nchri jellaba l bba.I’d like to buy a djellaba for my father.
- StallholderSifiya wla d chta?Summer or winter?
- CustomerSifiya, khfifa.Summer, a light one.
- StallholderHadi d lkettan, khfifa bzzaf. W bghiti chi bel3a?This one’s linen, very light. Would you like some babouches too?
- CustomerIyyeh, bel3a safra.Yes, yellow babouches.
- StallholderHak. W 3ndna 7ta tchamir w t9acher.Here you go. We also have shirts and socks.
- CustomerLa, safi. Chhal kaml?No, that’s all. How much altogether?
- StallholderLjellaba w lbel3a: tlatmya w khamsin.The djellaba and the babouches: three hundred and fifty.
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
- jellabaجلابة
- djellaba (long hooded robe)
- nchriنشري
- I buy
- sifi / sifiyaصيفي / صيفية
- summer (adj., m. / f.)
- khfif / khfifaخفيف / خفيفة
- light (m. / f.)
- lkettanالكتان
- linen
- bel3aبلغة
- babouche (leather slipper)
- sebbatصباط
- shoes
- tchamirتشامير
- shirt
- t9acherتقاشر
- socks
- 7taحتى
- also, even
Repeat after me
Read each phrase out loud, then cover it and say it from memory.
Bghit nchri jellaba l bba.
بغيت نشري جلابة لبّا.
I’d like to buy a djellaba for my father.
Sifiya, khfifa.
صيفية، خفيفة.
Summer, a light one.
Iyyeh, bel3a safra.
إيه، بلغة صفرا.
Yes, yellow babouches.
La, safi. Chhal kaml?
لا، صافي. شحال كامل؟
No, that’s all. How much altogether?
Quiz
Your turn
Say what you’re wearing today using three items of clothing.
Show an example answer
Lyoum labes tchamir byed, sserwal zre9 w sebbat k7el.
اليوم لابس تشامير بيض، سروال زرق وصباط كحل.
Today I’m wearing a white shirt, blue trousers and black shoes.
Summary
Jellaba, bel3a, tchamir, sserwal, sebbat, t9acher; “sifiya / d chta”, “khfifa” and “chhal kaml?”.
Finished?
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