Common, Arabic, Berber (B) and French (F) words
adfel snow
adrar (pl idraren) (B) mountain
agadir fortified granary
aghbalou (B) spring
Aïd el Kbir festival of sheep sacrifice
aïn spring
aït lit child of; used to form Berber tribal names, i.e. Aït Atta the Arabic equivalent is Ben(i) or ouled
amadir adze
aman water
amazigh (pl imazighen) Berber person
amlou a dip made from crushed almonds, argan oil and honey
andrair threshing floor
angour nose
anu well
anzar rain
aquelmane lake
aqqa (akka) gorge, box canyon
aroum bread
asserdoun (pl. iserdian) mule
assif (B) stream, mountain river
auberge (F) inn
azib goat/sheep shelter, huts
bab gateway
baraka the blessing lodged in a holy person or descendant of the Prophet
barakalafik thank you
bendir simple tambourine-like drum
Bismillah in the name of God
bled countryside
b’slama goodbye
burnous hooded cloak
CAF Club Alpin Français
caïd government administrator/magistrate
calèche (F) horse-drawn carriage
camion (F) lorry
camionette (F) pick-up, small lorry
charette (F) hand barrow
chergui strong, hot east wind (sirocco)
Chleuh Berber (southern)
chokrane (or barakalafik) thank you
cous cous milled cornflour and/or the everyday repast made from such
dar house
daya(t) lake, commonly in Middle Atlas; Tamda (B)
difa (diffa) luxury meal
djellaba long-hooded and long-sleeved garment, at one time everyday attire
djinn (pl jnoun) spirit, genie
douar hamlet, settlement (of buildings or tents)
erg area of sand dunes
eyewa (aye-wa) yes
fantasia mounted welcome charge with rifle firing
Fasi person from Fes
flous money
fibule brooch for pinning garments
gandoura sleeveless smock of cotton
gîte (F) official/semi-official hostelry
goudron (F) tarmac, tarred road
grand taxi (F) big taxis operating in and out of cities
Gnaoua negroid musical fraternity
Gueliz the new town in Marrakech, after the peaklet of that name
haik all-enveloping draped garment (now almost entirely female)
haj honorific title of a man who has made his pilgrimage to Mecca
halib milk
Hamadula ‘praise be to God’
hammam public steam baths
hamri red-coloured soil
handira blanket worn like a cloak by women
hanut corner shop
harrira thick broth associated with breaking the fast during Ramadan
harka raiding/tax gathering expeditions
henna paste from plant leaves for staining patterns on hands and feet (females) hobs bread
ifri cave
ighil (B) hill, arm
ighzer ravine
ikhibi valley
Illa ‘Let’s go’
imma mother
imi mouth, mouth of, defile
imlil white
imouzzer falls
Islam lit. submission—to the will of Allah/God—hence the religion founded by the Prophet Mohammed
jemaa gathering, assembly (mosque)
jbel (jebel, djebel, etc.) (abbrev J) mountain
kaftan decorative gown worn by women
kanoun brazier
kasbah castle
kebab (brochette, F) skewered meat, etc, grilled
kelim woven carpet
khaima low, brown nomad tent (Makhzen/caïdal tents are white, decorative pavillions)
kohl antimony, powdered, applied as eye shadow by women
kouba the domed structure often over a holy site
ksar (pl ksour) fortified hamlet
la no
lac (F) lake
lalla female saint, honorific title, ‘lady’
leben buttermilk
litham veil
ma water
maquis (F) wild mountain scrub
marabout holy man and/or his tomb
mechoui roasted mutton
medersa residential theological college
medina the old (often walled) part of a city
merja marsh
Mektoub ‘it is written’
mirhab alcove in mosque facing Mecca
moqqadam (mokadam) village head
Mouloud Prophet’s birthday
moussem seasonal festival
mulet (F) mule
mzien good
Nazrani/Arrumi Christian, European
oulad, ouled child of (as aït, ben)
petit taxi (F) 3-person taxis, within towns
piste (F) dirt track
piton (F) a pinnacle-shaped hill
place (F) square, often in town centre
pstilla (bastilla) rich, spicy, sweet pigeon pie
Ramadan the month of fasting
ras head, promontory, headland
ribat fortified monastery equivalent
sah-ha (B) thank you
sahra desert
seguia irrigation channel
selham cloak
sheik (cheikh) local headman, fraternity head
shereef descendant of the Prophet (used as honorific title)
shen fine muslin scarf (usually blue or black) wrapped round head and face as protection against weather
shooft (chouf) ‘look’
shweeya a little
sidi sir (honorific title, often a saint)
smen rancid butter
souira small rampart
souk both the weekly rural market and town market quarter. Often shown by name of the day: Tnine (Monday), Tleta (Tuesday), Arba (Wednesday), Khemis (Thursday), very rarely on Friday; Sebt (Saturday), Had (Sunday)
source (F) spring
tabia/toub mud building material of many rural buildings: pisé (F)
tachelhayt/tamazight Berber languages
tagine a casserole-style stew and/or the conical dish it is served in
talat ravine
tamda (B) lake, pool. Daya(t) (Arabic)
targa (B) irrigation channel
tichka collective pasture
tighremt (B) fortified house or store (igherm)
timesguida (B) shoulder, mosque
tizgui (B) forest
tizi col, pass
touiza co-operative labour
trik, trek, traiq road, way (Trik es Soltan: The Royal Way)
wakka (wachha) OK, yes
Zaouia religious establishment, often attached to a marabout or mosque
zellij geometric tilework