How to say
How to say "Ant" in Moroccan Arabic
In Darija, "ant" is nmla (نملة), pronounced /NM-la/.
20 words
15 phrases
كنتكلم شوية ديال دارجة
Kantkllm shwiya dyal darija
/kan-TK-llm SHWI-ya dyal DA-ri-ja/
I speak a little Darija
Je parle un peu de Darija
بغيت غير نشوفو
Bghit ghir nchufu
/bghit GHIR n-SHU-fu/
I just want to look
Je veux juste regarder
ما بغيتش، شكراً
Ma bghitsh, shukran
/ma BGHIT-sh SHUK-ran/
I don't want it, thanks
Je ne veux pas, merci
الله يعطيك الصحة
Lla y3tik ss7a
/lla y-3TIK s-SHA/
God give you health
Que Dieu te donne la santé
Said to thank anyone who did work — the waiter, the cook, the taxi driver.
اللي بغى العسل يصبر على قرص النحل
Lli bgha l3sel ysbr 3la qrss nnhal
/lli BGHA l-3SEL ys-BER 3la QRSS n-NHAL/
He who wants honey must endure bee stings
Qui veut le miel doit supporter les piqûres
Literally: Who wanted honey must be patient with bee stings
أنا باقي كنتعلّم الدارجة
Ana baqi kant3llm ddarija
/A-na BA-qi kant-3L-lm d-DA-ri-ja/
I'm still learning Darija
J'apprends encore le darija
Moroccans love hearing this. They'll slow down and help you practice.
لا شكراً، غير كنتفرّج
Lla shukran, ghir kantfrj
/lla shuk-RAN ghir kant-FRRJ/
No thanks, just looking
Non merci, je regarde
Essential for navigating souks without being pulled into every shop.
بلا حار، عافاك
Bla 7rr, 3afak
/bla 7RR 3a-FAK/
Not spicy, please
Pas piquant, svp
الله يعطيك الصحّة
Llah y3tik ss7a
/LLAH y-3TIK s-S7A/
God give you health (thanks for work)
Que Dieu te donne la santé
Literally: God give you health
Said to anyone doing physical work — shopkeepers, waiters, workers. Very appreciated.
بالصحّة!
Bss7a!
/b-S7A/
To your health! (after eating/buying)
Santé !
Said after someone eats, drinks, buys new clothes, gets a haircut, or takes a shower.
Common response
Llah y3tik ss7a
God give you health
الله يوفّقك
Llah ywfqk
/LLAH y-WF-qk/
God grant you success
Que Dieu te donne le succès
تبارك الله، الدراري ديالكم زوينين!
Tbarkllah, ddrari dyalkum zwnin!
/tbar-KL-LAH d-DRA-ri dyal-KUM zwi-NIN/
Mashallah, your kids are adorable!
Mashallah, vos enfants sont adorables !
Always say tbarkllah/mashallah when complimenting children — protects from evil eye.
اللي بغا العسل يصبر لقرص ديال النحل
Lli bgha l3ssl ysbr l qrss dyal nn7l
/lli bgha l-3SSL ys-BR l-QRSS dyal n-N7L/
Who wants honey must bear the bee stings
Qui veut le miel supporte les piqûres
Literally: Who wants honey must endure bee stings
Nothing worth having comes easy.
لا، شكراً. ما بغيتش.
Lla, shukran. Ma bghitsh.
/lla shuk-RAN ma bgh-ITSH/
No, thanks. I don't want it.
Non, merci. Je n'en veux pas.
Firm but polite refusal. Works for persistent sellers, guides, taxi drivers.
بغيت نتكلم مع الباترون
Bghit ntklm m3a l patron
/bghit nt-KLM m3a l pa-TRON/
I want to speak to the manager
Je veux parler au patron
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About this word in Darija
In Darija, "ant" is nmla (نملة), pronounced /NM-la/.
Darija (الدارجة) is Moroccan Arabic — the everyday spoken language of 40 million Moroccans. Unlike Modern Standard Arabic, it's rarely written down and draws heavily on French, Spanish, and Amazigh vocabulary. Learning how to say “ant” the way Moroccans actually say it — with the right pronunciation, register, and cultural context — is the difference between sounding like a textbook and sounding like you belong.
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