Lesson 78 · Lower intermediate · 4 min
Leaving a message
Leaving a clear message, making sure it will be passed on, and offering another way to reach you.
- Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.
In this lesson
- Leave a message for someone
- Explain a problem simply
- Ask to be called back or emailed
Following on from the previous call: the person is still in a meeting, so you leave a clear message.
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
- AnnaAllo, Hicham? 3awtani Anna. Madame Tazi mazal f jtima3?Hello, Hicham? It’s Anna again. Is Mrs Tazi still in the meeting?
- HichamIyyeh, mazal. Bghiti tkhelli lha message?Yes, still. Would you like to leave her a message?
- AnnaIyyeh. 9oul lha lfatura wslat, walakin fiha ghalat.Yes. Tell her the invoice arrived, but there’s a mistake in it.
- HichamWakha, ktebtha. Wach 3ndha nemra dyalek?Okay, I’ve written it down. Does she have your number?
- AnnaIyyeh. Ghir t3iyyet liya ila 9drat lyoum.Yes. Just ask her to call me if she can today.
- HichamWakha. Ghadi nwsselha lmessage daba.Okay. I’ll pass the message on to her right away.
- AnnaW ila ma 9dratch, tsifet liya email.And if she can’t, she can send me an email.
- HichamMafhoum. Lah y3awnek.Understood. Have a good day.
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
- 3awtaniعاوتاني
- again
- mazalمازال
- still
- tkhelli messageتخلي ميساج
- to leave a message
- 9oul lhaقول ليها
- tell her
- lfaturaالفاتورة
- the invoice
- wslatوصلات
- it arrived (f.)
- ghalatغلط
- a mistake
- ktebtكتبت
- I wrote down
- ila 9dratإلا قدرات
- if she can
- nwsselنوصل
- I pass on, deliver
- emailإيميل
- an email
- mafhoumمفهوم
- understood
Repeat after me
Read each phrase out loud, then cover it and say it from memory.
Iyyeh, mazal. Bghiti tkhelli lha message?
إيه، مازال. بغيتي تخلي ليها ميساج؟
Yes, still. Would you like to leave her a message?
Iyyeh. 9oul lha lfatura wslat, walakin fiha ghalat.
إيه. قول ليها الفاتورة وصلات، ولكن فيها غلط.
Yes. Tell her the invoice arrived, but there’s a mistake in it.
Iyyeh. Ghir t3iyyet liya ila 9drat lyoum.
إيه. غير تعيط ليا إلا قدرات اليوم.
Yes. Just ask her to call me if she can today.
W ila ma 9dratch, tsifet liya email.
وإلا ما قدراتش، تصيفط ليا إيميل.
And if she can’t, she can send me an email.
Quiz
Your turn
Leave a message: who you are, the issue, and how to reach you.
Show an example answer
Ana Lars. 9oul lih lmaw3id dyal ghedda ma kaynasbnich. Ghir y3iyyet liya.
أنا لارس. قول ليه الموعد ديال غدا ما كيناسبنيش. غير يعيط ليا.
This is Lars. Tell him tomorrow’s appointment doesn’t suit me. Just ask him to call me.
Summary
“Bghit nkhelli message”, “9oul lih / lha…”, “ghir y3iyyet / t3iyyet liya” and “mafhoum”.
Finished?
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