Basic Berber Words and Phrases

Language: an Integral Part of Culture

Our excursions are more than just a hike in the mountains. Our goal is to give you the opportunity to interact with Berber life and culture in a direct and firsthand manner. Of course, one of the most important parts of culture is language. In the Atlas mountains south of Marrakech, the predominant language is Tashelhiyt, the largest Berber language by number of speakers. Tashelhiyt is spoken in all of the villages we visit, and knowing a few words of it can endear you to the Berbers you encounter.

That said, please do not feel any pressure to learn these words and phrases — it is completely optional. Most of our customers come and enjoy their time with us without any prior knowledge of the language or culture.

For each word or phrase below, click the play key to hear a native Berber woman pronounce each word or phrase.

If you only have time to learn a few words, we've marked the ten most important ones with a gold star next to the word. You can also download a printable PDF version of this page here.

Greetings / Goodbyes

For standard greetings, Berbers will use a mix of the Tashelhiyt language and Arabic, depending on what is said. Here are some common words and phrases you'll definitely hear while visiting the Berber villages.

English	Tashelhiyt / Arabic		Notes
"Hello"	salamoo - alaykoom	"Hello"	This is actually an Arabic greeting used by Muslims throughout the world. It roughly translates to "Peace be upon you." It is said anytime you greet someone new or enter a room where people are present.
"Hello" (reply)	wa alaykoom - salam	"Hello" (reply)	This is the reply to the above greeting. It translates as "And upon you, peace."
"How are you?"	maminik atgeet?	quot;How are you?"	This is Tashelhiyt. It is part of the greeting process.
"Fine"	labass	"Fine"	Used throughout Morocco.
"My name is..."	eesmeeyee...	"My name is..."	This is Tashelhiyt.
"Good-bye"	bslama	"Good-bye"	This is Moroccan Arabic, and is generally used throughout Morocco to say good-bye. It literally translates as "with peace."

English	Tashelhiyt / Arabic
"Hello"	salamoo - alaykoom	"Hello"
	This is actually an Arabic greeting used by Muslims throughout the world. It roughly translates to "Peace be upon you." It is said anytime you greet someone new or enter a room where people are present.
"Hello" (reply)	wa alaykoom - salam	"Hello" (reply)
	This is the reply to the above greeting. It translates as "And upon you, peace."
"How are you?"	maminik atgeet?	quot;How are you?"
	This is Tashelhiyt. It is part of the greeting process.
"Fine"	labass	"Fine"
	Used throughout Morocco.
"My name is..."	eesmeeyee...	"My name is..."
	This is Tashelhiyt.
"Good-bye"	bslama	"Good-bye"
	This is Moroccan Arabic, and is generally used throughout Morocco to say good-bye. It literally translates as "with peace."

Meals/Eating/Drinking

Meals and tea are a major part of Moroccan culture, and this is especially true in the Berber villages of the High Atlas mountains. Since we want to give you an opportunity to experience Berber life and culture, all of our excursions include time for tea and time to have a meal in a real Berber home. Knowing a few words and phrases can make those experiences even more engaging and memorable. All of the following are Tashelhiyt words or phrases.

English	Tashelhiyt / Arabic		Notes
"Eat" (imperative command)	eesh!	"Eat"	In Berber culture, it is the host's responsibility to make sure that any guest is well fed. As a result, you will definitely hear your Berber hosts tell you, many times over, "Eesh! Eesh!" Basically, they're telling you "Eat! Eat!"
"Drink!" (imperative command)	soo!	"Drink!"	This will probably be heard when you are having tea. Your Berber hosts will encourage you to drink many cups of tea!
"In the name of God"	bismillah	"In the name of God"	This is always said before beginning a meal. It is an Arabic expression that is equivalent to a prayer before meals. If you want to say it before eating, you will really impress your hosts!
"bread"	aghrom	"bread"	Bread is a staple of every meal except couscous.
"meat"	teefeeyee	"meat"	Every meal includes some meat (usually beef or chicken) in the centre of the dish. It is usually eaten last, after the vegetables.
"tea"	atay	"tea"	This is the word for tea all throughout Morocco.
"water"	aman	"water"	You probably won't need to ask for this, as you will be drinking bottled water.
"Thanks be to God!"	hamdoolah	"Thanks be to God!"	This expression is said at the end of the meal when you are full.

English	Tashelhiyt / Arabic
"Eat" (imperative command)	eesh!	"Eat"
	In Berber culture, it is the host's responsibility to make sure that any guest is well fed. As a result, you will definitely hear your Berber hosts tell you, many times over, "Eesh! Eesh!" Basically, they're telling you "Eat! Eat!"
"Drink!" (imperative command)	soo!	"Drink!"
	This will probably be heard when you are having tea. Your Berber hosts will encourage you to drink many cups of tea!
"In the name of God"	bismillah	"In the name of God"
	This is always said before beginning a meal. It is an Arabic expression that is equivalent to a prayer before meals. If you want to say it before eating, you will really impress your hosts!
"bread"	aghrom	"bread"
	Bread is a staple of every meal except couscous.
"meat"	teefeeyee	"meat"
	Every meal includes some meat (usually beef or chicken) in the centre of the dish. It is usually eaten last, after the vegetables.
"tea"	atay	"tea"
	This is the word for tea all throughout Morocco.
"water"	aman	"water"
	You probably won't need to ask for this, as you will be drinking bottled water.
"Thanks be to God!"	hamdoolah	"Thanks be to God!"
	This expression is said at the end of the meal when you are full.

Other Important Words or Phrases

Here are a few more Tashelhiyt words or phrases that are a normal part of everyday life.

English	Tashelhiyt / Arabic		Notes
"I want..."	reekh	"I want..."	A little difficult to pronounce the final sound.
"Thank you."	shookran	"Thank you."	Used throughout Morocco.
"house"	tigmee	"house"	An important word for Berbers!
"good/beautiful"	eefoolkee	"good/beautiful"	Can be used for food/meals and just about everything else...from people to the country of Morocco.

English	Tashelhiyt / Arabic
"I want..."	reekh	"I want..."
	A little difficult to pronounce the final sound.
"Thank you."	shookran	"Thank you."
	Used throughout Morocco.
"house"	tigmee	"house"
	An important word for Berbers!
"good/beautiful"	eefoolkee	"good/beautiful"
	Can be used for food/meals and just about everything else...from people to the country of Morocco.