Colors in Darija
How Colors Work in Darija
Darija colors agree in gender with the noun they describe. The masculine 'k7el' (black) becomes 'k7la' for feminine nouns, so a black cat is 'mch k7el' but a black car is 'tomobil k7la'.
This pattern repeats across most core colors. Once you learn one pair like 'byed' and 'bida' (white), the others follow a similar vowel change that becomes intuitive with practice.
The Primary Colors
The essential colors are '7mer' (red), 'zre9' (blue) and 'sfer' (yellow). Green is 'khder', a word that also appears in 'atay khder' meaning green tea, a Moroccan staple.
These colors come up constantly when shopping for clothes, tiles or pottery. In the souk you might ask 'wach 3andek hada b-7mer?' meaning 'do you have this in red?'
Black, White and Neutrals
Black is 'k7el' and white is 'byed', the two most frequently used colors. Grey is 'rmadi', borrowed from the word for ash, 'rmad'.
Brown is '9ehwi', which comes from '9ehwa' (coffee), an easy link to remember. These neutral tones dominate descriptions of leather goods and djellabas.
Colors in the Souk and Fashion
Morocco is famous for color, from the blue city of Chefchaouen to red Marrakech. When bargaining, knowing colors lets you specify exactly what you want and avoid misunderstandings.
Feminine forms matter when describing clothing, since most garment words are feminine. A red djellaba is 'jellaba 7amra', using the feminine of '7mer'.
Tips for Mastering Colors
Always learn the masculine and feminine form as a pair. Memorising 'k7el / k7la' together prevents the common beginner mistake of using only one form.
Link colors to objects you see daily: green tea for 'khder', coffee for '9ehwi'. These associations make the vocabulary stick effortlessly.
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| White | byed | بيض |
| Black | k7el | كحل |
| Red | 7mer | حمر |
| Blue | zre9 | زرق |
| Yellow | sfer | صفر |
| Green | khder | خضر |
| Grey | rmadi | رمادي |
| Brown | 9ehwi | قهوي |
| Orange | li-mouni | ليموني |
| Purple | benvchli | بنفسجي |
| Pink | wردي | وردي |
| Gold | dhebi | دهبي |
| Silver | fdדי | فضي |
| Light blue | smawi | سماوي |
| Dark | ghame9 | غامق |
| Light | fate7 | فاتح |
| Colorful | mlawwen | ملون |
| Color | lawn | لون |
| White (fem) | bida | بيضة |
| Black (fem) | k7la | كحلة |
| Red (fem) | 7amra | حمرة |
| Green (fem) | khadra | خضرة |
Moroccan Darija colors with masculine forms
FAQ
How do colors change for masculine and feminine in Darija?
Most colors have two forms. For example 'k7el' (black, masculine) becomes 'k7la' (feminine), and 'byed' (white) becomes 'bida'. The color must match the gender of the noun.
How do you say 'green tea' in Darija?
Green tea is 'atay khder' (أتاي خضر). 'Khder' is the word for green and 'atay' is the Moroccan word for tea, the national drink.
What is the easiest way to remember 'brown'?
Brown is '9ehwi' (قهوي), which comes from '9ehwa' meaning coffee. Picturing the color of coffee makes it easy to recall.
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