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Module 8 · Work and business

Lesson 74 · Lower intermediate · 4 min

Making an appointment

Asking for an appointment, turning down one slot and accepting another.

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

In this lesson

  • Ask for an appointment with someone
  • Suggest another day
  • Say a time suits you

“Si” (Mr) and “lalla” (Mrs/Ms) often come before the names of people you respect: “si Bennani”, “lalla Amina”.

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. SecrétaireCharikat Atlas, salam.Atlas company, hello.
  2. JohanSalam, bghit nakhod maw3id m3a si Bennani.Hello, I’d like to make an appointment with Mr Bennani.
  3. SecrétaireGhadi nchouf l’agenda dyalo… Nhar ttlat m3a ttlata?Let me check his diary… Tuesday at three?
  4. JohanTtlat ma n9derch. Wach kayn chi we9t nhar larb3?I can’t do Tuesday. Is there a slot on Wednesday?
  5. SecrétaireLarb3 f sba7, m3a l3achra w nss.Wednesday morning, at half past ten.
  6. JohanMzyan, kaynasbni.Great, that suits me.
  7. SecrétaireChno smitek w nemra dyalek?Your name and number?
  8. JohanJohan Berg. Ghadi nsifet lik nemra f message.Johan Berg. I’ll send you my number by text.
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

maw3idموعد
an appointment
nakhod maw3idناخد موعد
to make an appointment
si / lallaسي / لالة
Mr / Mrs (before a name)
l’agendaالأجندة
the diary, calendar
we9tوقت
a slot, time
kaynasbniكيناسبني
that suits me
ma n9derchما نقدرش
I can’t
nemraنمرة
the number
nsifetنصيفط
I send
messageميساج
a text message
charikaشركة
the company

Repeat after me

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

  • Salam, bghit nakhod maw3id m3a si Bennani.

    السلام، بغيت ناخد موعد مع سي بناني.

    Hello, I’d like to make an appointment with Mr Bennani.

  • Ttlat ma n9derch. Wach kayn chi we9t nhar larb3?

    التلات ما نقدرش. واش كاين شي وقت نهار الاربع؟

    I can’t do Tuesday. Is there a slot on Wednesday?

  • Mzyan, kaynasbni.

    مزيان، كيناسبني.

    Great, that suits me.

  • Johan Berg. Ghadi nsifet lik nemra f message.

    يوهان بيرݣ. غادي نصيفط ليك النمرة فميساج.

    Johan Berg. I’ll send you my number by text.

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7When is the appointment in the end?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankBghit nakhod m3a si Bennani.I’d like to make an appointment with Mr Bennani.
  3. Question 3 of 7What does “kaynasbni” mean?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “nsifet” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “the diary, calendar” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 15Review (lesson 15): what does “lyoum” mean?

Your turn

Ask for an appointment with Mrs Tazi, decline Monday and accept Thursday.

Show an example answer

Bghit maw3id m3a lalla Tazi. Letnin ma n9derch. Lkhmis kaynasbni.

بغيت موعد مع لالة التازي. التنين ما نقدرش. الخميس كيناسبني.

I’d like an appointment with Mrs Tazi. I can’t do Monday. Thursday suits me.

Summary

“Bghit nakhod maw3id m3a si / lalla…”, “… ma n9derch”, “wach kayn chi we9t…?” and “kaynasbni”.

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