Module 1 · Greetings and introductions
Lesson 1 · Beginner · 4 min · 0:17 of audio
Salam, labas? Saying hello
The basic greeting, asking how someone is, and saying goodbye.
- Unreviewed: this lesson’s Darija and translations have not yet been checked by a native speaker.
- Placeholder audio: a computer voice, not a native Darija speaker. Real recordings are coming.
Salam, labas? Saying hello
In this lesson
- Greet someone and reply to a greeting
- Ask how someone is and answer
- Say goodbye
In Morocco, almost every conversation starts with “salam” and a few polite questions. These phrases open every door.
Dialogue
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
- salam 3likomالسلام عليكم
- hello (peace be upon you)The reply is “w 3likom salam”. Works at any time of day.
- labasلاباس
- fine / are you fine?
- l7amdoulillahالحمد لله
- thank GodVery common, whether or not the speaker is religious.
- bikhirبخير
- well, good
- nta / ntiنتا / نتي
- you (to a man / to a woman)
- kolchiكلشي
- everything
- mzyanمزيان
- good, fine
- lah y7fdekالله يحفظك
- thanks (literally “may God protect you”)
- yallahيالله
- right, let’s go
- bslamaبسلامة
- goodbye
Repeat after me
Play a phrase, then say it out loud during the pause.
Salam 3likom!
Hello!
Labas 3lik?
How are you?
Labas, l7amdoulillah. W nta?
Fine, thank God. And you?
Yallah, bslama!
Right, bye!
Quiz
Your turn
Greet someone, ask how they are, then say goodbye. Say it out loud.
Show an example answer
Salam 3likom! Labas 3lik? … Yallah, bslama!
السلام عليكم! لاباس عليك؟ … يالله، بسلامة!
Hello! How are you? … Right, bye!
Summary
You can say “salam 3likom”, reply “w 3likom salam”, ask “labas 3lik?” and leave with “bslama”.
Finished?
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