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Module 6 · Tourism and travel

Lesson 60 · Elementary · 4 min

Changing money

Changing euros, asking about the rate and fees, finding a cash machine.

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

In this lesson

  • Ask to change money
  • Ask about the rate and commission
  • Ask where a cash machine is

The dirham isn’t really exchangeable outside Morocco: you change money locally, at exchange offices or cash machines.

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. MajaSalam, bghit nserref chi lyoro.Hello, I’d like to change some euros.
  2. EmployéChhal bghiti tserrfi?How much would you like to change?
  3. MajaMitayn lyoro. Chhal ssarf lyoum?Two hundred euros. What’s the rate today?
  4. EmployéLyoro b 3achra d ddrahm w chwiya.A euro is a little over ten dirhams.
  5. MajaWach kayna chi commission?Is there a commission?
  6. EmployéLa, walou. 3tini lpaspor dyalek.No, none. Give me your passport.
  7. MajaHak. W wach kayn chi guichet otomatik 9rib?Here. And is there a cash machine nearby?
  8. EmployéKayn wa7d 9oddam lbanka. Walakin hna ssarf a7sen.There’s one in front of the bank. But the rate is better here.
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

nserrefنصرف
I change (money)
lyoroليورو
the euro
ssarfالصرف
exchange rate; change
commissionالكوميسيون
commission, fee
walouوالو
nothing, none
guichet otomatikگيشي أوتوماتيك
cash machine, ATM
lbankaالبانكا
the bank
lflousالفلوس
money
a7senأحسن
better
ddrahmالدراهم
dirhams, money

Repeat after me

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

  • Salam, bghit nserref chi lyoro.

    السلام، بغيت نصرف شي ليورو.

    Hello, I’d like to change some euros.

  • Mitayn lyoro. Chhal ssarf lyoum?

    ميتين ليورو. شحال الصرف اليوم؟

    Two hundred euros. What’s the rate today?

  • Wach kayna chi commission?

    واش كاينة شي كوميسيون؟

    Is there a commission?

  • Hak. W wach kayn chi guichet otomatik 9rib?

    هاك. وواش كاين شي گيشي أوتوماتيك قريب؟

    Here. And is there a cash machine nearby?

Quiz

  1. Question 1 of 7Is there a commission?
  2. Question 2 of 7Fill in the blankBghit chi lyoro.I’d like to change some euros.
  3. Question 3 of 7Why change money here rather than at the cash machine?
  4. Question 4 of 7Match each expression with its meaning.
  5. Question 5 of 7What does “lyoro” mean?
  6. Question 6 of 7How do you say “cash machine, ATM” in Darija?
  7. Question 7 of 7 · Review from lesson 29Review (lesson 29): what does “lkach” mean?

Your turn

Ask to change 100 euros, today’s rate and whether there’s a fee.

Show an example answer

Bghit nserref mya lyoro. Chhal ssarf? Wach kayna commission?

بغيت نصرف مية ليورو. شحال الصرف؟ واش كاينة كوميسيون؟

I’d like to change a hundred euros. What’s the rate? Is there a commission?

Summary

“Bghit nserref…”, “chhal ssarf lyoum?”, “wach kayna commission?” and “fin kayn guichet otomatik?”.

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