Lesson 53 · Elementary · 4 min
At the airport: passport control and customs
Answering questions at passport control and customs.
- Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.
In this lesson
- Say where you’ve come from and how long you’ll stay
- Give the address where you’re staying
- Say “nothing to declare”
On arrival the officer usually asks the same questions. Answer simply and keep your accommodation’s address handy.
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
- AgentLpaspor, 3afak. Mnin jaya?Passport, please. Where have you come from?
- ElsaMn Stockholm.From Stockholm.
- AgentChhal ghadi tgelsi f lMeghrib?How long will you stay in Morocco?
- ElsaJuj simanat. Ana hna f l3otla.Two weeks. I’m on holiday.
- AgentFin ghadi tskni?Where will you be staying?
- ElsaF wa7d riad f Fas. Hahowa l3onwan.In a riad in Fez. Here’s the address.
- AgentMzyan. Wach 3ndek chi 7aja tdeclariha?Good. Do you have anything to declare?
- ElsaLa, walou. Ghir lhwayj dyali.No, nothing. Just my clothes.
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
- lmatarالمطار
- the airport
- mnin jay / jaya?منين جاي / جاية؟
- where are you coming from? (man / woman)
- tgles / tgelsiتگلس / تگلسي
- to stay (you stay, man / woman)
- simana / simanatسيمانة / سيمانات
- week / weeks
- l3otlaالعطلة
- holiday
- tskon / tskniتسكن / تسكني
- to stay, live (you, man / woman)
- l3onwanالعنوان
- the address
- tdeclariتديكلاري
- to declare (at customs)
- walouوالو
- nothing
- lvolالفول
- the flight
- lhwayjالحوايج
- things, clothes
Repeat after me
Read each phrase out loud, then cover it and say it from memory.
Lpaspor, 3afak. Mnin jaya?
الپاسپور، عافاك. منين جاية؟
Passport, please. Where have you come from?
Chhal ghadi tgelsi f lMeghrib?
شحال غادي تگلسي فالمغرب؟
How long will you stay in Morocco?
Fin ghadi tskni?
فين غادي تسكني؟
Where will you be staying?
Mzyan. Wach 3ndek chi 7aja tdeclariha?
مزيان. واش عندك شي حاجة تديكلاريها؟
Good. Do you have anything to declare?
Quiz
Your turn
Answer the officer: where you’ve come from, how long you’re staying and where.
Show an example answer
Jay mn Paris. Ghadi ngles simana. Ghadi nskon f lotel f Casa.
جاي من باريس. غادي نگلس سيمانة. غادي نسكن فلوطيل فكازا.
I’ve come from Paris. I’m staying a week. I’m staying in a hotel in Casablanca.
Summary
“Mnin jay / jaya?”, “chhal ghadi tgles?”, “fin ghadi tskon?” and “walou” at customs.
Finished?
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