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Top 20 Darija Verbs Every Beginner Must Know

beginners darija moroccan arabic verbs vocabulary
Essential Darija verbs for beginners learning Moroccan Arabic

When learning a new language, verbs are the building blocks of communication. In Moroccan Arabic (Darija), mastering the most common verbs will instantly help you understand conversations and express yourself more clearly.

In this guide, we’ll go over the 20 most important Darija verbs that every beginner should know — with English meanings and examples you can use in daily life.


1. Kla – To Eat

  • Example: Ana klit laftoor. (I ate breakfast.)

2. Shrab – To Drink

  • Example: Hiya sharbat atay. (She drank tea.)

3. Msha – To Go / To Walk

  • Example: 7na ghadi namshiw lsou9. (We are going to the market.)

4. Ja – To Come

  • Example: Wash ghadi tji m3ana? (Are you coming with us?)

5. Dar – To Do / To Make

  • Example: Shnu darti lbar7? (What did you do yesterday?)

6. Gal – To Say

  • Example: Howa gal bli bgha yshufak. (He said he wants to see you.)

7. Fham – To Understand

  • Example: Mafhamtsh. (I didn’t understand.)

8. 3raf  – To Know

  • Example: Kan3raf had lkalma. (I know this word.)

9. Bgha  – To Want / To Like

  • Example: Ana bghit atay bna3na3. (I want mint tea.)

10. 3ando – To Have

  • Example: 3andha lktuba bezaf. (She has many books.)

11. Ktab – To Write

  • Example: Ana ktabt message. (I wrote a message.)

12. 9ra – To Read / To Study

  • Example: Hiya kat9ra f ljami3a. (She studies at the university.)

13. Sma3 – To Hear / To Listen

  • Example: Sma3t lmusi9a. (I heard the music.)

14. Shaf – To See / To Watch

  • Example: Howa shaf film jdid. (He saw a new movie.)

15. Khdam – To Work

  • Example: Ana khdamt f lmadrasa. (I worked at the school.)

16. N3as – To Sleep

  • Example: Hiya na3sat bezaf lbara7. (She slept a lot yesterday.)

17. Fa9/Nad – To Wake Up / To Get Up

  • Example: Hiya fa9t m3a l3ashra dyal sba7 (She woke up at 10 am.)

18. Bgha – To Love

  • Example: Ana kanbghi lmaghrib. (I love Morocco.)

19. L3ab  – To Play

  • Example: Lawlidat la3bo lkora. (The kids played football.)

20. Hdar – To Speak / To Talk

  • Example: Wash kathdar b Darija? (Do you speak Darija?)


Tips for Learning Verbs in Darija

  • Practice in context: Instead of memorizing lists, use verbs in real sentences.

  • Notice verb patterns: Many verbs follow similar conjugation forms.

  • Speak daily: Even short conversations build fluency.


Conclusion

Learning these 20 essential verbs will give you a strong foundation in Darija and make your conversations much smoother. Once you can eat, drink, go, come, say, and do — you’ll find yourself building sentences quickly.

👉 Want to practice these verbs with real-life examples? Follow us on Instagram @dailydarija for daily Darija tips and videos.

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