Darija Lesson 3: Numbers
Why Numbers Are Essential
Numbers unlock daily life in Morocco: bargaining in the souk, paying taxi fares, telling time, and exchanging phone numbers. Darija numbers come straight from Arabic, with a few quirks you will pick up fast.
This lesson walks you from one to one hundred, then shows how to ask prices and count objects. We pair Arabizi with Arabic script so you can read both market chalkboards and digital menus.
One to Ten
The foundation: wa7ed (1), jouj (2), tlata (3), rb3a (4), khamsa (5), setta (6), seb3a (7), tmenya (8), ts3oud (9), 3ashra (10). Note 'jouj' is the everyday word for two, while the classical 'tnayn' appears mainly in compounds.
Practice these out loud as a chant. The number 'khamsa' (5) is culturally significant too, linked to the protective hand symbol you will see everywhere in jewelry and doorways.
Eleven to Twenty and the Tens
Eleven to nineteen blend a unit with '-tash': 7dash (11), tnash (12), tltash (13), rb3tash (14), khamstash (15), settash (16), sb3tash (17), tmntash (18), ts3tash (19), 3ashrin (20).
The tens follow a clear pattern: 3ashrin (20), tlatin (30), rb3in (40), khamsin (50), settin (60), sb3in (70), tmanin (80), ts3in (90), miya (100). To combine, add 'o' (and): 'wa7ed o 3ashrin' is 21, 'jouj o tlatin' is 32.
Counting Objects
When counting things, two is special: instead of 'jouj' alone you often say 'joj dyal' plus the noun, as in 'joj dyal lqahwa' (two coffees). For three to ten, the number drops its final vowel before the noun: 'tlt qhawi' (three coffees), 'khams kتب' (five books).
For one of something you can simply say the noun, or add 'wa7ed' after it: 'qahwa wa7da' (one coffee). Do not over-worry about these shifts early on, locals understand 'jouj qahwa' perfectly well.
Prices and Money
To ask a price, say 'Bsh7al?' (بشحال؟) or 'Sh7al?' (شحال؟), meaning 'how much?'. The currency is the dirham, 'derhem', but Moroccans often quote prices in 'ryal', where 1 dirham equals 20 ryal, which confuses newcomers in markets.
Useful phrases: 'Ghali bzaf' (too expensive), 'Rkhes' (cheap), 'N9es shwiya' (lower it a little). Bargaining is expected in souks, so counter the first price and meet in the middle with a smile.
Sample Dialogue
A shopper, Tom, haggles for a leather bag:
Tom: Salam, bsh7al had ssak? (Hello, how much is this bag?) — Vendor: Tlata miya derhem. (Three hundred dirhams.) — Tom: Ghali bzaf! N9es shwiya. (Too expensive! Lower it a bit.) — Vendor: Wakha, miytayn o khamsin. (Okay, two hundred and fifty.) — Tom: Miytayn? (Two hundred?) — Vendor: La, miytayn o 3ashrin, akhir taman. (No, two hundred and twenty, final price.) — Tom: Wakha, safi. (Okay, deal.)
Practice Tips
Count everything around you in Darija: stairs, dirhams in your wallet, minutes on a clock. Daily counting cements the one-to-ten core, which is the hardest and most valuable set to learn.
When shopping, listen for whether a vendor quotes dirhams or ryal, and confirm with 'derhem wla ryal?'. Mastering 'Bsh7al' and the tens will carry you through almost every transaction in the country.
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| One | Wa7ed | واحد |
| Two | Jouj | جوج |
| Three | Tlata | تلاتة |
| Five | Khamsa | خمسة |
| Ten | 3ashra | عشرة |
| Twenty | 3ashrin | عشرين |
| Fifty | Khamsin | خمسين |
| One hundred | Miya | مية |
| How much? | Bsh7al? | بشحال؟ |
| Too expensive | Ghali bzaf | غالي بزاف |
Vocabulary
FAQ
How do you count from one to five in Darija?
One to five are: wa7ed, jouj, tlata, rb3a, khamsa. Note that 'jouj' is the common word for two, used in everyday speech far more than the classical 'tnayn'.
How do I ask how much something costs?
Say 'Bsh7al?' or just 'Sh7al?', both meaning 'how much?'. The answer is usually given in dirhams, but in markets it may be quoted in ryal, where 20 ryal equals 1 dirham.
What is the difference between dirham and ryal?
The dirham is the official currency, but many Moroccans, especially older vendors, quote prices in ryal. One dirham equals 20 ryal, so always confirm with 'derhem wla ryal?' to avoid confusion.
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