Lesson 54 · Elementary · 4 min
Lost luggage
Reporting a lost suitcase, describing it and understanding when it will arrive.
- Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.
In this lesson
- Report a missing bag
- Describe an object (size, colour)
- Fill in a form and leave your number
If your suitcase doesn’t arrive, go to the baggage desk. You’ll reuse the colours and sizes you’ve already learned.
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
- HugoSme7 lia, lvalisa dyali ma jatch.Excuse me, my suitcase hasn’t arrived.
- AsmaeMnin jiti? Chno nemra dyal lvol?Where did you fly from? What’s the flight number?
- HugoMn Paris. Lvol AT 641.From Paris. Flight AT 641.
- AsmaeKifach dayra lvalisa?What does the suitcase look like?
- HugoKbira, zar9a, w fiha wa7d lwer9a 3liha smiti.Big, blue, with a label with my name on it.
- Asmae3emmer had lwer9a, w 3tini nemra d ttilifoun dyalek.Fill in this form and give me your phone number.
- HugoFou9ach ghadi tjini?When will I get it?
- AsmaeGhaliban ghedda. Ghadi nsiftouha lik l lotel.Probably tomorrow. We’ll send it to your hotel.
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
- lvalisaالفاليزا
- the suitcase
- ma jatchما جاتش
- it hasn’t arrived (f.)
- jitiجيتي
- you came
- nemraنمرة
- number
- kifach dayra?كيفاش دايرة؟
- what does it look like? (f.)
- lwer9aالورقة
- paper, form, label
- 3emmerعمر
- fill in
- nemra d ttilifounنمرة د التيليفون
- phone number
- ghalibanغالبا
- probably
- nsiftoنصيفطو
- we send
- kbir / kbiraكبير / كبيرة
- big (m. / f.)
Repeat after me
Read each phrase out loud, then cover it and say it from memory.
Sme7 lia, lvalisa dyali ma jatch.
سمح ليا، الفاليزا ديالي ما جاتش.
Excuse me, my suitcase hasn’t arrived.
Kifach dayra lvalisa?
كيفاش دايرة الفاليزا؟
What does the suitcase look like?
Kbira, zar9a, w fiha wa7d lwer9a 3liha smiti.
كبيرة، زرقا، وفيها واحد الورقة عليها سميتي.
Big, blue, with a label with my name on it.
Fou9ach ghadi tjini?
فوقاش غادي تجيني؟
When will I get it?
Quiz
Your turn
Report a lost bag: say where you flew from and describe it (size, colour).
Show an example answer
Ssak dyali ma jach. Jit mn Madrid. Sghir w k7el.
الساك ديالي ما جاش. جيت من مدريد. صغير وكحل.
My bag hasn’t arrived. I flew in from Madrid. It’s small and black.
Summary
“Lvalisa dyali ma jatch”, “kifach dayra?” + size and colour, “3emmer lwer9a” and “ghaliban ghedda”.
Finished?
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