[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s been awhile since I have done a darija update with new terms and phrases so here you are! Today I’m focusing on chores and daily routines as I’ve been asked by a reader to share these words. These terms will be helpful for talking to your children, understanding when someone is talking to you or if you need to communicate with domestic help. I know many expats living in Morocco employ help for cleaning and cooking, hopefully these phrases will help you better explain what you need or would like done.
One of the issues I faced when writing this is that each person’s situation is different so not all these phrases will cover what you’re looking for. Also, unless you understand darija it will be hard to understand what is being said to you. I strongly encourage anyone who will be living in Morocco to immediately sign up for a darija classes and begin learning the language. You can even start before you move. Dialect Marrakech is a great program that offers online learning through Skype so you can learn from anywhere. Remember the more you use and hear darija, the sooner you will pick it up. Words and phrases will be different depending on where in the country you live.
The darija translations are given for speaking to a female. To speak to a male remove the i to say afak instead of afaki. I am transliterizing how these words sound TO ME. There is no standardized spelling in Darija.
| English | Darija | |
|---|---|---|
| Please clean the kitchen. | Afaki Jumay cusina. | |
| Please clean the bedroom. | Afaki jumay byat nas | |
| Please clean the living room. | Afaki jumay salon. | |
| Please change the bedsheets. | Afaki btli lazar tana mooseya | |
| Please wash the clothes/ | Afaki sbni hawaj. | |
| Please take out the garbage. | Afaki carjou zbil. | |
| Please clean the rugs (surface cleaning). | Afaki shtabi zrbiya. | |
| Please clean the rugs (to wash with soap) | Afaki sbni zrabiya. | |
| Please pick up the toys. | Afaki jumay louab. | |
| Please go and buy groceries. | Afaki siri shri mokadiya | |
| Please make breakfast | Afaki gadi f’tour. | |
| Please make lunch. | Afaki gadi lghada. | |
| Please make dinner | Afaki gadi l’isha. |
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You may also need to know the words for typical cleaning supplies. Here are a few.
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| bleach | javer |
| laundry soap | sabon hawaj – but often it is just called by the name brand like Tide (pronounced teed) or Ariel. |
| dish soap | sabon lm3nd (3 is pronounced like ay) |
| broom | shtaba |
| squeegee – typically handled and used to get rid of water on tile floors | karatta |
| mop | sheeta |
| floor towel (square towels used to mop up water) | shfaaf. |
| bucket | s’til |
| water | ma |
| soap | savon |
There you have it! It’s also worth noting the Moroccan style of cleaning is a bit different from how it’s done in the US. As most floors are all tile they are not cleaned with a mop like we would think of. They are first swept, then soapy water is put down and mopped using the floor towel on the end of a squeege. Next bleach water may go down. A final wiping up happens with another floor towel. If done properly it works well. However you may want to set aside floor towels to be used just in the bathroom, or just in the bedrooms as they can often be used throughout all rooms.
Looking for more Darija resources?
Introductions and Useful Expressions in Moroccan Arabic
Moroccan Language Learning Resources[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Rose
Friday 9th of October 2015
Thank you for this!
My Boyfriend is from Marrakech and in preparation for going to meet his family there this winter I'm learning Arabic. Knowing some of the Darija words is wonderful too!
Plus, saying Afaki is much easier than Manfedlik lol.