As-salamu alaykum (السلام عليكم)
ah-sah-LAH-moo ah-LAY-koom
Peace be upon you (hello)
The polite greeting for anyone, at any time of day
Travel guide
Learn Morocco before you go
Snow-capped mountains, the edge of the Sahara, ancient walled cities and a glass of sweet mint tea, just across the water from Spain.
CapitalRabat
CurrencyMoroccan dirham (MAD)
Official languageArabic and Tamazight (Berber). Most people speak Moroccan Arabic, called Darija, and French is widely used in business
Drives on theRight
Calling code+212
10 phrases to learn
In Moroccan Arabic (Darija). Capital letters show the stressed part. Tap the heart to practise a phrase later.
Wa alaykum as-salam (وعليكم السلام)
wah ah-LAY-koom ah-sah-LAHM
And upon you be peace (the reply)
Answering someone who greets you with as-salamu alaykum
Labas? (لاباس)
lah-BAHS
How are you? (literally 'no harm?')
Asking after someone; the same word, labas, also means 'I'm fine'
Bikhir, alhamdulillah (بخير الحمد لله)
bee-KHEER, al-ham-doo-lee-LAH
Fine, thanks be to God
Answering 'how are you?'; you will hear alhamdulillah many times a day
Smiti ... (سميتي)
SMEE-tee
My name is ...
Introducing yourself
Mtsharfin (متشرفين)
m-tshar-FEEN
Nice to meet you
Meeting someone for the first time
Bshhal hada? (بشحال هادا)
b-SHHAL HAH-dah
How much is this?
Asking a price in the souk; it is the start of any bargaining
Ghali bezzaf (غالي بزاف)
GHAH-lee bez-ZAHF
That's too expensive
Bargaining, with a smile
La, shukran (لا شكرا)
LAH, shook-RAHN
No, thank you
Politely turning down a seller or a guide; say it calmly and keep walking
Fin bit lma? (فين بيت الما)
FEEN beet el-MAH
Where is the toilet?
Looking for the toilet (literally 'the water room')
At the table
- Wash your hands before the meal and again after it. At a traditional home, the host may bring round a basin, a jug of water and a towel.
- Eat with your right hand. Tear off a small piece of bread and use it, held between your thumb and first two fingers, to pick up food from the dish.
- Main dishes are shared from one large plate in the middle of the table. Eat from the part of the dish directly in front of you and take a fresh piece of bread for each bite.
- Couscous is often eaten with a spoon; some people skilfully roll it into small balls with the fingers of the right hand.
- Your host will keep offering you more food. It is polite to accept a little more, and to say that you are full when you have had enough.
- Accept a glass of mint tea when it is offered; it is a gesture of hospitality, and at least three glasses are often served.
Local tips
Be thoughtful during Ramadan
During the holy month of Ramadan most Moroccans fast from dawn to sunset. Visitors are not expected to fast, but eating, drinking or smoking in public in the daytime may cause offence. Many restaurants for tourists stay open, shops keep shorter hours, and the evenings after the sunset meal are lively and welcoming.
Drink alcohol only where it is served
Alcohol is available in licensed hotels, bars and some restaurants, and in some supermarkets. Drinking in the street or anywhere other than a licensed place is illegal, and being drunk in public is frowned upon.
Dress modestly
Loose clothes that cover the shoulders, upper arms and knees are the most comfortable choice in towns and villages, especially in the countryside and during Ramadan. A light scarf is handy for women, for sun and for visiting religious sites.
Mosques are mostly closed to visitors
Most mosques in Morocco are open to Muslims only. The great Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is a notable exception: non-Muslims can visit on guided tours, with shoulders and knees covered, shoes removed and, for women, hair covered.
Bargain with a smile
In the souks prices are rarely fixed. Ask the price, offer less, and meet somewhere in between, without hurry and with good humour. If you are not interested, a friendly 'la, shukran' (no, thank you) is enough. Shops with fixed prices will tell you so.
Ask before taking photos
Always ask before photographing people, especially women and children; some will say no, and some may ask for a small tip. Do not take photographs near military or government buildings, where it is illegal.
Agree on the taxi fare
Small city taxis (petits taxis) should use the meter; if the driver does not switch it on, agree on the fare before you set off. Larger shared taxis (grands taxis) travel between towns.
Carry some dirhams in cash
The Moroccan dirham cannot be bought freely outside the country, so change money or use a cash machine on arrival. Small notes and coins are useful for tips, taxis and markets, where cards are often not accepted.
Dishes to try
- Chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives (طاجين): A slow-cooked stew named after the clay pot it is cooked in, a shallow dish with a tall cone-shaped lid. There are countless versions: chicken with preserved lemon and olives, lamb with prunes and almonds, or meatballs in tomato sauce with eggs.
- Couscous with seven vegetables (كسكس (seksu)): Tiny grains of steamed durum wheat semolina, piled high in a large dish and topped with meat and vegetables in a spiced broth. It is traditionally served on Fridays, when the family gathers after midday prayers.
- Pastilla (بسطيلة (bastila)): A large round pie of paper-thin warqa pastry filled with slow-cooked, shredded pigeon or chicken, eggs cooked in the spiced sauce and a layer of toasted almonds with cinnamon and sugar. It is dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon on top, both savoury and sweet at once.
- Harira (حريرة): A thick soup of tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas and a little meat, flavoured with ginger, cinnamon, coriander and parsley, and thickened at the end with a mixture of flour and water.
- Tanjia (طنجية): Beef or lamb with preserved lemon, garlic, cumin, saffron and olive oil, sealed in a tall clay jar and cooked slowly for many hours in the hot ashes of a hammam (public bathhouse) furnace or a hearth, until it falls apart.
- Rfissa (رفيسة): Shredded msemen flatbread or day-old bread topped with chicken and lentils in a broth flavoured with fenugreek and ras el hanout.
- Mechoui (مشوي): A whole lamb roasted slowly on a spit over embers, or in a pit oven in the ground, until the meat is tender enough to pull off with the fingers. It is served with cumin and salt.
- Zaalouk (زعلوك): A cooked salad of aubergines and tomatoes with garlic, cumin, paprika, olive oil and fresh herbs, eaten warm or cold and scooped up with bread.
Cities to see
- Rabat (capital): The Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, The Kasbah of the Udayas above the sea, A World Heritage Site covering both the old and the modern city.
- Casablanca: The Hassan II Mosque on the ocean's edge, Art deco buildings, One of Africa's largest ports.
- Marrakesh: Jemaa el-Fnaa square, The Koutoubia Mosque, The Majorelle Garden.
- Fes: The medina of Fes el-Bali, The University of al-Qarawiyyin, The Chouara leather tannery.
- Meknes: Bab Mansour, a grand decorated gate, The huge royal granaries of Heri es-Souani, Nearby Volubilis.
- Tangier: Ferries to Spain, The Caves of Hercules, The American Legation museum.