Family Members in Moroccan Arabic (Darija)
Family is the heart of Moroccan life, and family words are everywhere in conversation - Moroccans even use them with complete strangers as friendly forms of address. Here is the full family vocabulary in Darija.
The Close Family
| In English | In Moroccan Arabic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Father | Bba or Lwalid | "Lwalid" is the respectful form |
| Mother | Mma or Lwalida | |
| My brother | Khouya | Also used with any man, like "buddy" |
| My sister | Khti or Ukhti | Same - a friendly address to any woman |
| My son | Weldi | "Weld" = boy; elders may call you weldi affectionately |
| My daughter | Benti | "Bent" = girl |
| Husband / Wife | Rajel / Mra | "Rajli" = my husband, "mrati" = my wife |
| Children | Drari or Wlad | |
| Family | L3a'ila | The 3 is the deep 'ayn sound |
Grandparents, Uncles and Aunts
Darija distinguishes the father's side from the mother's side of the family:
| In English | In Moroccan Arabic | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grandfather | Jeddi | |
| Grandmother | Jedda or Mmi jedda | |
| Uncle (father's side) | 3emmi | Also a respectful address to an older man |
| Uncle (mother's side) | Khali | |
| Aunt (father's side) | 3emmti | |
| Aunt (mother's side) | Khalti | Children call any older woman "khalti" |
| Cousin (m / f) | Weld 3emmi / Bent 3emmi | Literally "son / daughter of my uncle" |
| Mother-in-law / Father-in-law | 3gouzti / Nsibi |
Polite Forms You Will Hear Everywhere
Two words to remember: Sidi (sir) and Lalla (madam) - used with anyone deserving respect. In shops and taxis you will constantly hear khouya (my brother) and khti (my sister): being addressed as family is simply Moroccan hospitality - a spirit you will find explained in our page about the Moroccan people.
Keep learning: everyday phrases (with audio), love phrases, numbers and Moroccan first names.
Related articles : Language
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