Language Phrases for Travellers in Morocco. Live Q&A

02/15/24 • 23 min

This episode is the audio replay of part our Destination Morocco live Q&A session, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
You can find the full video version here on our YouTube channel.Our live Q&A session this month focused on identifying useful phrases in Moroccan languages that travellers can use while in the country. As a very multilingual country, this means doing so in more than one language, which as we explore today essentially means Darija (Moroccan Arabic), Berber (or Tamazight, the original indigenous language), and French, which is still in very common use and may be at least a bit more familiar to many travellers.
The best way to follow this episode is by watching it on our YouTube channel, where you will see the visuals as we spell each word or phrase in Darija, French and Berber.
However, interspersed with our language lesson, and particularly in the first 20 minutes, is some background and contextual information on languages in Morocco, where you'll hear each one, and in what situation.
We have a fun conversation on language identity, and talk about examples when Azdean, Sam and Hiba had to figure out themselves which language to use, and how their accents were interpreted. It turns out that the dialects alone amongst Berber speakers can be quite distinct!
It's not just travellers but locals as well who navigate this linguistic landscape. But in a place where exposure to multiple languages on a daily basis is a common occurrence, there is far less awkwardness or embarrassment as a result. So if you're listening in your car, on the bus, cooking, going for a walk etc., check out this audio excerpt of our live recording for the fascinating background info on languages.
Then, you can jump over to the YouTube channel and at the 20 minute mark, you'll see our language lesson begin!

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Previous Episode

Multilingual Insights: Conversations with Mr Mustapha in Aït Ben Haddou

Continuing on a bit further south from our last episode in Telouet, we follow Azdean on his summer tour down to Aït Ben Haddou, southern gateway to the High Atlas mountains and their stunning scenery and hiking. Aït Ben Haddou is a small town but is known for its traveller services, restaurants and accommodation, and its welcoming hospitality.
In this episode of Destination Morocco podcast, Azdean sits down with Mr. Mustapha, who works at the restaurant l'Oasis d'Or (Golden Oasis), a popular restaurant located on the main road through town. Mustapha speaks extensively about Berber culture and how they have embraced tourism as a way to present their culture and provide a unique experience to tourists from around the world. He speaks seven languages, which he attributes to interacting with diverse tourists, as well as a reflecting a common Moroccan trait of having a knack for language. Although, as Azdean points out, there are certainly pockets of Morocco where people are not only unilingual, they may speak only Moroccan Arabic (Darija) or the Berber (Amazigh) language, the original indigenous language, without really being able to communicate in the other.
So it's not a given that all Moroccans are polylingual, but we have certainly met quite a few examples on the podcast who are! And it is an impressive thing to see. Mustapha even speaks Russian and Mandarin, thanks to the many Chinese tour groups that have been coming through Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate over the last few years.
Mustapha also discusses the establishment, menu, and services of l'Oasis d'Or, highlighting its welcoming approach to customers and how the staff operate as a big family. Azdean, with his eye for hospitality and service, praises the restaurant's generosity and the quality of its food, voicing optimism for l'Oasis d'Or's plans to open a new hotel in the near future.
On the theme of languages, we welcome you to join us live on YouTube on Wednesday, February 14 at 12 pm EST for our next live Q&A session, where we'll be talking about languages in Morocco, particularly the difference between Berber and Darija. Azdean and Sam will teach us a few useful phrases for travellers. Always handy, especially if you're heading off the beaten path for some real cultural immersion, which is the theme of our recent series of episodes!
l'Oasis d'Or, Aït Ben HaddouDestination Morocco YouTube
Music credits:
Sight of Wonders / Desert Footsteps / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Next Episode

Live Gnaoua Music: Discover Morocco's Powerful Musical Heritage

We conclude our cultural tour of Morocco with a performance of Gnaoua (also spelled Gnawa) music, recorded live on location at a Merzouga desert camp and at a Marrakech restaurant.
In between performances, Azdean sits down with Mohamed, a musician and member of the Gnaoua performers in Qser el Khamliya, a small village just south of Merzouga. Mohamed started playing when he was eight years old, and gives us some background on the roots of Gnawa music, created by slaves and nomads from Sub-Saharan countries. The music was meant to express the suffering of slaves and their longing for freedom, and evolved into a deep religious expression of the Muslim faith.
The contemporary Gnawa festivals in Essaouira and Merzouga stem from the agricultural rhythm of generations of harvests, the point where abundance and peace could be celebrated. Modern-day events typically coincide with Eid al-Adha celebrations that are timed with cycles of the moon, and take place roughly 11 days earlier in each subsequent year.
However, Gnaoua music and live performances are easy to find year-round in Morocco, particularly in the south. Our samples in this episode of both desert camps and urban restaurants are good examples of this. Your guide or riad owner will help you find the best locations to witness Gnaoua in person, don't hesitate to ask!
Khemliya, Merzouga
Ending Gnawa music recorded live at Safran Marrakech restaurant.

Destination Morocco Podcast - Language Phrases for Travellers in Morocco. Live Q&A

Transcript

Azdean [00:00:04]:
Welcome to the Destination Morocco podcast, the show that takes you away to the beautiful country of Morocco. I am your host, Azdean Elmoustaquim. In each episode, we explore moroccan culture, history, attractions and activities. Real and practical information coming from experienced travellers and Native Americans like myself. And now let's go exploring.
Ted [00:00:36]:
How's everybody doing today?
Azdean [00:00:38]:
Wonderful.
Hiba [00:00:39]:
Cool.