What Language is Spoken in Morocco?
By MED
In Morocco, there are a number of languages spoken and considered a somewhat complicated matter to discuss. The people of Morocco are well known to be quick learners and are gifted when it comes to spoken languages. However, the languages spoken can vary from location to location. For instance, in the markets in Marrakech, many languages may be spoken because of the presence of tourists but it is a different scenario as you move away into the city proper.
There are two official languages spoken in Morocco, which include Tamazight “Berber”, and the Modern Standard Arabic.The Moroccan Arabic which is also known as Darija, is the spoken native dialect, which differs greatly from the standard Arabic with very little similarities with the domestic Berber languages. Importantly noted however, the prominent languages in Morocco are Arabic and French, with French being the second language.
However we want to look at it, the answer to the question “What language is spoken in Morocco” can be perfectly answered with a view of the ethnicity of Morocco as they are closely related. Therefore, we will now take a look at the various languages spoken in Morocco with respect to this criterion.
Arabic (Darija)
Arabic (Darija) is the official major language spoken in Morocco as about 90% of the population speak it. The Arabic spoken in Morocco also known as Darija is a special language that is quite different from standard modern Arabic that is used formally, in government and also in administrative dealings. While the Roman alphabet is written from left to write, Arabic is written the other way round from right to left on the Arabic script.
The Darija, like many other Moroccan languages, is as a result of invention where words are borrowed from the native Berber languages and other prominent languages like French. The dialect Darija is said to have emerged from the classical Arabic and the language of the native Berber from which some components were coined. So the Darija vary differently from the standard Arab as it contains many syllabuses with no vowels or affirming sounds.
So if you can speak Darija in Morocco, it will be easy for you to get along very well and carryout dealings with others but this will not be the case for visiting tourists as they will have difficulty engaging in conversations and grasp what is said, well enough to relate with people.
Tamazight (BERBER)
The Berbers also known as Amazigh, are said to be the first inhabitants of Morocco. As estimated, about 40% of the population speak the language which has been well preserved till date. The Berber language is divided into three main dialects which are found dominantly in Morocco. They include; Tarifit (which is spoken in the north), Tamazight (spoken in the central part of the country) and Taschelhit( spoken around the southern part of the country).
Tamazight and Taschelhit are said to be very similar as you can comfortably engage in a conversation with another person of either dialect, establishing an understanding but that is not the case for Tarifit which is very different from them. Also sometime in 2011, Tamazight was accepted and identified as an official language of the country and is currently being taught in schools. Initially, the written form of the Berber dialects was developed from the Tuareg script known as Tifinagh, but now Berber is written in a modified Arabic script making use of the Latin alphabet sometimes.
Other Berber languages spoken in Morocco are Tamashek (common in Tuareg), Ghomara (spoken in Northern Morocco)Senhaja de Srair (spoken in the Rif mountain areas), and the rare Judeo Berber language (common in Israel). However, these days, they have little or no significance.
It is difficult for visitors and tourists to get a hold of the Berber dialects. And also communities where they are spoken are fewer compared to those where Darija is spoken.Therefore, it is not advisable to try to learn the language if you are only visiting Morocco and not staying there for a long period.
French
French is an official major language in Morocco. It has been so right from the colonial period. It is taught in schools and is considered the most popular European language in the country. It can be found in many dual-language information notices mostly found in museums (for tourists most especially) written in Arabic or French.
Therefore, conclusively French is preferred while travelling in Morocco as you will get along well in the cities and also bigger exposed communities. The story might be a different one for rural and interior areas with little or no exposure where residents only speak one of the Berber dialects and Arabic.
Spanish
The Spanish language was also common in Morocco during the colonial period. Areas where it is mostly spoken include the Mediterranean coast and areas near the Atlantic Ocean.However, compared to French, Spanish is not as common in Morocco as the earlier has more popularity. So conclusively, this implies that Spanish will help you in the coastal areas and in northern Morocco and also in markets and malls of big cities and tourist tours.
English
In Morocco, where French is taught in schools a first foreign language, English on the other hand is taught later in the secondary schools. English is unfortunately not as popular as French, but most establishments have tour guides, waiters, drivers and someother staffs with good basic skills in English.
Therefore, if you try using English outside of the big cities and most markets, you may not get too far. In most museums, information and signs are seldom written in English but if you go on a tour having mixed nationalities, you will enjoy it as English is usually spoken.
German
The chances of German helping you in Morocco is slender as it is almost never spoken anywhere. However, some large hotels have German speaking employees and also in malls or market places you can come across someone who speaks German and will be delighted to engage in a conversation with you and relaying their experiences to you.
On a final though, before you decide to visit or spend your holiday in Morocco, you need to learn one of the major languages to help you enjoy and have a hitch free stay.
