Common Darija Adjectives
How Adjectives Agree in Darija
Darija adjectives change form to match the noun. 'Kbir' (big) becomes 'kbira' for feminine and 'kbar' for plural, so 'dar kbira' is a big house and 'dyour kbar' are big houses.
This three-way agreement applies to most descriptive words. Learning the masculine, feminine and plural together prevents mistakes and sounds far more natural to native speakers.
Size, Quality and Value Adjectives
The core pair is 'kbir' (big) and 'sghir' (small). For quality use 'mezyan' (good/nice) and 'khayb' (bad/ugly), two of the most frequent adjectives in daily speech.
Value words include 'ghali' (expensive) and 'rkhis' (cheap), essential for shopping and bargaining. Saying 'ghali bzzaf' (too expensive) is a daily survival phrase in the souk.
Describing People and Feelings
To describe people use 'zwin' (handsome/pretty), 'twil' (tall) and 'qsir' (short). 'Zwin' and its feminine 'zwina' are extremely common compliments.
For states and moods, learn 'fer7an' (happy), 'mqelle9' (annoyed/worried), '3yyan' (tired) and 'mrid' (sick). These let you express how you feel in any conversation.
Adjectives for Food and Objects
Food descriptions rely on 'bnin' (delicious), 'mle7' (salty), '7lou' (sweet) and 'sékhoun' (hot). Telling a host 'bnin bzzaf' (very delicious) is a polite and appreciated compliment.
For objects use 'jdid' (new), 'qdim' (old), 'n9i' (clean) and 'mwessekh' (dirty). These pair naturally with home and shopping vocabulary.
Tips for Using Adjectives
Always learn adjectives with their feminine form, since so many everyday nouns are feminine. Memorising 'zwin / zwina' as a unit avoids the most common beginner error.
Use the intensifier 'bzzaf' (a lot/very) after adjectives to sound natural: 'kbir bzzaf' (very big), 'bnin bzzaf' (very tasty). It is the go-to amplifier in Darija.
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Big | kbir | كبير |
| Small | sghir | صغير |
| Good/Nice | mezyan | مزيان |
| Bad/Ugly | khayb | خايب |
| New | jdid | جديد |
| Old | qdim | قديم |
| Expensive | ghali | غالي |
| Cheap | rkhis | رخيص |
| Beautiful | zwin | زوين |
| Tall/Long | twil | طويل |
| Short | qsir | قصير |
| Delicious | bnin | بنين |
| Sweet | 7lou | حلو |
| Salty | mle7 | مالح |
| Hot | sékhoun | سخون |
| Cold | bared | بارد |
| Happy | fer7an | فرحان |
| Tired | 3yyan | عيان |
| Sick | mrid | مريض |
| Clean | n9i | نقي |
| Dirty | mwessekh | موسخ |
| Easy | sahel | ساهل |
Common Moroccan Darija adjectives (masculine form)
FAQ
How do Darija adjectives change for gender?
Most add an 'a' for feminine: 'kbir' (big) becomes 'kbira', 'zwin' (pretty) becomes 'zwina'. Plurals often change the vowels, like 'kbar' for big.
How do you say 'very' with an adjective in Darija?
Use 'bzzaf' (بزاف) after the adjective. 'Kbir bzzaf' means very big, and 'bnin bzzaf' means very delicious. It is the most common intensifier.
What is the most common way to say something is good?
Use 'mezyan' (مزيان) for good or nice. Its feminine is 'mezyana'. It is one of the most frequent positive words in Moroccan Darija.
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