Overview
This lesson teaches essential Moroccan Arabic (Derija) phrases for introducing yourself, including asking names, origin, residence, languages spoken, profession, and greetings.
Asking and Giving Names
- "Shno smitak?" means "What is your name?" (masculine); "Shno smitik?" for feminine.
- Respond with "Smiti [your name]" meaning "My name is [your name]."
- Another way: "Ana [your name]." ("Ana" means "I.")
- More formal: "Ana smiti [your name]."
Asking and Stating Origin
- "Mnin nta?" asks "Where are you from?" to a male; "Mnin nti?" to a female.
- Reply: "Ana men [country]" means "I am from [country]."
- Country names often sound similar to English (e.g., "Italia" for Italy).
Saying Where You Live
- "Ana kanskun fi [place]" means "I live in [place]."
- "Kanskun" already includes "I" as a verb prefix, so "Ana" can be omitted: "Kanskun fi Paris."
- Works for cities and countries: "Kanskun fi New York."
Talking About Languages Spoken
- "Kanhedar [language]" means "I speak [language]."
- "Kanhedar lngliza" means "I speak English."
- Can add "shwiya" to mean "a little": "Kanhedar lngliza shwiya."
- To emphasize, can say "Ana kanhedar [language]."
Stating Profession or Status
- "Ana talib" means "I am a student" (male), "Ana taliba" for female.
- "Ana ustad" means "I am a teacher" (male), "Ana ustada" for female.
Greeting: Nice to Meet You
- "Metcharfin" means "Nice to meet you."
Key Terms & Definitions
- Derija — Moroccan Arabic dialect.
- Ana — "I."
- Smiti — "My name."
- Men — "From."
- Kanskun — "I live."
- Kanhedar — "I speak."
- Shwiya — "A little."
- Talib/Taliba — "Student" (male/female).
- Ustad/Ustada — "Teacher" (male/female).
- Metcharfin — "Nice to meet you."
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice repeating the introduction phrases.
- Watch the next lesson for more on countries, nationalities, and languages.