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Module 7 · Family and relationships

Lesson 67 · Lower intermediate · 4 min

Feelings

Saying how you feel: stressed, happy, tired, and reacting to news.

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

In this lesson

  • Ask “what’s wrong?”
  • Express several feelings
  • Reassure and congratulate

“Malek?” (what’s wrong?) opens the conversation. “Bayn 3lik…” (you look…) lets you comment on someone’s mood.

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. YoussefMalek? Bayna 3lik m9elle9a.What’s wrong? You look upset.
  2. SaraIyyeh, 7it lmt7an ghedda, w ana khayfa.Yes, because the exam is tomorrow, and I’m scared.
  3. YoussefMa tkhafich, nti 9rati mzyan.Don’t worry, you’ve studied well.
  4. SaraLah ykhallik. W nta? Bayn 3lik fer7an.Thanks. And you? You look happy.
  5. YoussefIyyeh! Khti wldat lbare7. Wllit khal!Yes! My sister gave birth yesterday. I’m an uncle!
  6. SaraMabrouk! Ana fer7ana lik bzzaf.Congratulations! I’m so happy for you.
  7. YoussefWalakin ana 3iyyan, ma n3estch.But I’m tired, I didn’t sleep.
  8. SaraNormal! Sir n3es chwiya, w lah y3awnek.Of course! Go and get some sleep, and hang in there.
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

malek?مالك؟
what’s wrong? what’s up with you?
bayn / bayna 3likباين / باينة عليك
you look, you seem (m. / f.)
m9elle9 / m9elle9aمقلق / مقلقة
upset, annoyed (m. / f.)
khayef / khayfaخايف / خايفة
afraid (m. / f.)
fer7an / fer7anaفرحان / فرحانة
happy (m. / f.)
m7zoun / m7zounaمحزون / محزونة
sad (m. / f.)
za3fan / za3fanaزعفان / زعفانة
angry (m. / f.)
3iyyanعيان
tired
wllitوليت
I became
wldatولدات
she gave birth
fer7an / fer7ana likفرحان / فرحانة ليك
happy for you

Repeat after me

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

  • Malek? Bayna 3lik m9elle9a.

    مالك؟ باينة عليك مقلقة.

    What’s wrong? You look upset.

  • Iyyeh, 7it lmt7an ghedda, w ana khayfa.

    إيه، حيت الامتحان غدا، وأنا خايفة.

    Yes, because the exam is tomorrow, and I’m scared.

  • Lah ykhallik. W nta? Bayn 3lik fer7an.

    الله يخليك. ونتا؟ باين عليك فرحان.

    Thanks. And you? You look happy.

  • Mabrouk! Ana fer7ana lik bzzaf.

    مبروك! أنا فرحانة ليك بزاف.

    Congratulations! I’m so happy for you.

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7Why is Sara worried?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankMabrouk! Ana lik bzzaf.Congratulations! I’m so happy for you.
  3. Question 3 of 7What does “malek?” mean?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “3iyyan” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “upset, annoyed (m. / f.)” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 2Review (lesson 2): what does “chwiya” mean?

Your turn

Say how you feel today and why, using “7it”.

Show an example answer

Ana fer7an lyoum 7it ghadi nchouf sa7bi.

أنا فرحان اليوم حيت غادي نشوف صاحبي.

I’m happy today because I’m going to see my friend.

Summary

“Malek?”, “bayn 3lik…”, fer7an, khayef, m9elle9, m7zoun, za3fan, 3iyyan (+ -a for feminine).

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