Module 10 · Moroccan culture and real conversations
Lesson 97 · Lower intermediate · 4 min
Ramadan and festivals
Ramadan and Eid greetings, the fast-breaking meal and traditions.
- Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.
In this lesson
- Give Ramadan and Eid greetings
- Understand the vocabulary of the ftour meal
- Accept an invitation to ftour
During Ramadan people fast from sunrise to sunset, then break the fast with “ftour”. Being invited to ftour is a real honour.
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
- JonasFou9ach kaybda Ramdan had l3am?When does Ramadan start this year?
- IlhamMlli ychoufou lhilal. Ghaliban ssimana jaya.When the crescent moon is seen. Probably next week.
- JonasChno kangoul l nnas?What do I say to people?
- Ilham« Ramdan mbarek » wla « 3wacher mbarka ».“Ramdan mbarek” or “3wacher mbarka” (happy holidays).
- JonasW f lftour, chno kayaklou?And at ftour, what do people eat?
- IlhamL7rira, tmer, chebbakiya w l7lib. Aji tfter m3ana chi nhar!Harira, dates, chebakia and milk. Come and have ftour with us one day!
- JonasBghit! W f l3id, chno katgoulou?I’d love to! And at Eid, what do you say?
- Ilham« 3id mbarek sa3id », w kanlbsou 7wayj jdad.“3id mbarek sa3id”, and we wear new 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
- Ramdan mbarekرمضان مبارك
- blessed Ramadan
- lhilalالهلال
- the crescent moon
- sayem / saymaصايم / صايمة
- fasting (m. / f.)
- lftourالفطور
- the fast-breaking mealThe same word means breakfast: both “break the fast”.
- tfter m3anaتفطر معانا
- have ftour with us
- 3wacher mbarkaعواشر مباركة
- happy holidays
- l3idالعيد
- Eid (the festival)
- 3id mbarek sa3idعيد مبارك سعيد
- happy Eid
- 7wayj jdadحوايج جداد
- new clothes
- l7riraالحريرة
- harira soup
- tmerالتمر
- dates
Repeat after me
Read each phrase out loud, then cover it and say it from memory.
Mlli ychoufou lhilal. Ghaliban ssimana jaya.
ملي يشوفو الهلال. غالبا السيمانة الجاية.
When the crescent moon is seen. Probably next week.
« Ramdan mbarek » wla « 3wacher mbarka ».
«رمضان مبارك» ولا «عواشر مباركة».
“Ramdan mbarek” or “3wacher mbarka” (happy holidays).
L7rira, tmer, chebbakiya w l7lib. Aji tfter m3ana chi nhar!
الحريرة، التمر، الشباكية والحليب. أجي تفطر معانا شي نهار!
Harira, dates, chebakia and milk. Come and have ftour with us one day!
« 3id mbarek sa3id », w kanlbsou 7wayj jdad.
«عيد مبارك سعيد»، وكنلبسو حوايج جداد.
“3id mbarek sa3id”, and we wear new clothes.
Quiz
Your turn
Wish a neighbour a blessed Ramadan and accept their ftour invitation.
Show an example answer
Ramdan mbarek! … Iyyeh, bghit nfter m3akom. Lah ykhallik!
رمضان مبارك! … إيه، بغيت نفطر معاكم. الله يخليك!
Blessed Ramadan! … Yes, I’d love to have ftour with you. That’s very kind!
Summary
“Ramdan mbarek”, “3wacher mbarka”, “3id mbarek sa3id”; “lftour” at sunset with harira and dates.
Finished?
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