Darija Question Words (Who, What, Where)
Why Question Words Matter
Question words are the engine of real conversation. With just six or seven of them you can ask for directions, prices, names and reasons, which covers most traveler and beginner needs.
In Darija, question words almost always go at the beginning of the sentence, just like in English. This makes them easy to slot into phrases you already know.
Who, What and Where
'Shkun' means who, as in 'shkun nta?' (who are you?). 'Ash' or 'shnu' means what, used in 'ash hada?' (what is this?) and 'shnu smitek?' (what is your name?).
'Fin' means where and is one of the most useful travel words. 'Fin kayn...?' means 'where is...?', so 'fin kayn l-7ammam?' asks 'where is the bathroom?'
When, Why and How
'Imta' means when, as in 'imta ghadi tji?' (when will you come?). '3lash' means why and is used for reasons: '3lash?' on its own simply means 'why?'.
'Kifash' means how, used in 'kifash ndir?' (how do I do it?) and 'kifash nemshi l...?' (how do I get to...?). For 'how are you?', Moroccans say 'kif dayer?' to a man or 'kif dayra?' to a woman.
How Much and Which
'Sḥal' or 'be-cḥal' means how much, crucial for shopping: 'be-cḥal hada?' (how much is this?). 'Shal men' means how many, as in 'shal men wa7ed?' (how many people?).
'Ashmen' or 'ina' means which, used to choose between options: 'ashmen wa7ed bghiti?' (which one do you want?). These extend your questioning power in markets and decisions.
Tips for Asking Questions
Memorise the question word plus one ready-made phrase, like 'fin kayn...?' for locations. This gives you an instantly usable sentence rather than an isolated word.
Remember that intonation matters: a rising tone signals a question even without a question word. Pair correct words with rising intonation for clear, natural questions.
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Who | shkun | شكون |
| What | ash | أش |
| What (alt) | shnu | شنو |
| Where | fin | فين |
| When | imta | إمتى |
| Why | 3lash | علاش |
| How | kifash | كيفاش |
| How much | be-cḥal | بشحال |
| How many | shal men | شحال من |
| Which | ashmen | أشمن |
| Whose | dyal men | ديال من |
| From where | mnin | منين |
| Where is...? | fin kayn | فين كاين |
| What is this? | ash hada | أش هذا |
| Who are you? | shkun nta | شكون نتا |
| How are you? (m) | kif dayer | كيف داير |
| How are you? (f) | kif dayra | كيف دايرة |
| What's your name? | shnu smitek | شنو سميتك |
| Is there? | wach kayn | واش كاين |
| Right? / Is it? | wach | واش |
| When will you come? | imta ghadi tji | إمتى غادي تجي |
| How do I get to...? | kifash nemshi l | كيفاش نمشي ل |
Moroccan Darija question words and phrases
FAQ
How do you say 'where is' in Darija?
Say 'fin kayn...?' (فين كاين؟). For example, 'fin kayn l-7ammam?' means 'where is the bathroom?'. 'Fin' alone means 'where'.
What is the difference between 'ash' and 'shnu'?
Both mean 'what'. 'Ash' is often used before verbs ('ash kadir?' what are you doing?), while 'shnu' is common with nouns ('shnu smitek?' what's your name?). They are largely interchangeable.
How do you ask 'how are you' in Darija?
Say 'kif dayer?' to a man and 'kif dayra?' to a woman. 'La bas?' is an even simpler, very common way to ask if everything is okay.
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