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Module 9 · Grammar and communication

Lesson 83 · Lower intermediate · 4 min

Negation: ma… ch, machi, walou

Saying no: not, nothing, nobody, never, there isn’t.

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

In this lesson

  • Negate a verb with “ma… ch”
  • Negate a noun or adjective with “machi”
  • Use walou, 7ta wa7d and 3mmri ma

Two rules cover most cases: “ma” + verb + “ch” (ma klitch), and “machi” before a noun or adjective (machi mzyan). Note: with “walou” or “7ta wa7d” you drop the “ch”.

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. MamaWach klit chi 7aja?Have you eaten anything?
  2. OthmaneLa, ma klit walou. Ma ji3anch.No, I haven’t eaten anything. I’m not hungry.
  3. MamaWach chi wa7d 3iyyet 3lik?Did anyone call you?
  4. OthmaneLa, 7ta wa7d ma 3iyyet.No, nobody called.
  5. MamaMalek? Nta machi mzyan lyoum.What’s wrong? You’re not yourself today.
  6. OthmaneMa kayn walou. Ghir ma n3estch mzyan.It’s nothing. I just didn’t sleep well.
  7. Mama3mmrek ma katn3es bekri!You never go to bed early!
  8. OthmaneWakha, lyoum ghadi nn3es bekri. Ma t9el9ich.Okay, tonight I’ll go to bed early. Don’t worry.
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

ma … chما … ش
not (around a verb)
machiماشي
not (before a noun or adjective)
walouوالو
nothing
7ta wa7dحتى واحد
nobody
3mmri / 3mmrek ma…عمري / عمرك ما…
I / you never…
ma kaynchما كاينش
there isn’t
ma klit walouما كليت والو
I ate nothing
ma ji3anchما جيعانش
I’m not hungry
ma kayn walouما كاين والو
it’s nothing
ma n3estchما نعستش
I didn’t sleep
chi wa7dشي واحد
someone, anyone

Repeat after me

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

  • La, ma klit walou. Ma ji3anch.

    لا، ما كليت والو. ما جيعانش.

    No, I haven’t eaten anything. I’m not hungry.

  • La, 7ta wa7d ma 3iyyet.

    لا، حتى واحد ما عيط.

    No, nobody called.

  • Ma kayn walou. Ghir ma n3estch mzyan.

    ما كاين والو. غير ما نعستش مزيان.

    It’s nothing. I just didn’t sleep well.

  • Wakha, lyoum ghadi nn3es bekri. Ma t9el9ich.

    واخا، اليوم غادي ننعس بكري. ما تقلقيش.

    Okay, tonight I’ll go to bed early. Don’t worry.

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7Who called Othmane?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankLa, wa7d ma 3iyyet.No, nobody called.
  3. Question 3 of 7Which negation goes before an adjective?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “machi” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “someone, anyone” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 4Review (lesson 4): what does “almani / almaniya” mean?

Your turn

Answer in the negative: Are you hungry? Did anyone come? Are you tired?

Show an example answer

Ma ji3anch. 7ta wa7d ma ja. Ana machi 3iyyan.

ما جيعانش. حتى واحد ما جا. أنا ماشي عيان.

I’m not hungry. Nobody came. I’m not tired.

Summary

Verb: ma…ch. Noun / adjective: machi. Nothing: walou. Nobody: 7ta wa7d ma… Never: 3mmri ma…

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