BASIC VERBS

IN DARIJA

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 Present tense in general:

In Darija, the present tense normally expresses both

habitual and progressive actions.

habitual action: I eat couscous every Friday.

progressive action: I am eating couscous now.

Kanakol couscous kola jam3a.

In Darija, the present tense uses both suffixes and prefixes. The

present tense prefix is written with “ ka ” and another letter (n , t ,

or y).The present tense suffixes ( i or o) may be added as well.

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 Regular verbs in the present tense:

In general, “regular verbs” refer to:

All 4-letter verbs without the long vowel “ a ” in the middle.
All verbs with more than 4 letters and not ending in “ a ”.
all 3-letter verbs with with the short vowel “ e ” in the middle.

Therefore, all these verbs will be conjugated like

“kteb” in the present tense.
The present tense prefix is
written with “ ka ” and another
letter ( n , t , or y ).The present
tense suffixes ( i or o ) may be
added as well.
kteb (to write)

Ana kankteb
Nta katkteb
Nti k a t k t e b i
Howa k a y k t e b
Hiya k a t k t e b
Hna k a n k t e b o
Ntoma k a t k t e b o
Homa k a y k t e b o

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 Irregular verbs in the present tense:

In general, “irregular verbs” refer to:

Group 1 : Verbs with a long vowel “ a ” in the middle. ( kan, mat, daz )
Group 2 : Verbs a long vowel “ a ” at the end. ( bna, bka, ja )

Each group is divided into three categories:

Group 1: long vowel “a” in the middle :

“ a ” becomes “ o ”
“ a ” becomes “ i ”
“ a ” remains “ a ”

Group 2: long vowel “a” at the end :

“ a ” becomes “ i ”
“ a ” remains “ a ”
internal changes
The present tense prefix is
written with “ ka ” and another
letter ( n , t , or y ).The present
tense suffixes ( i or o ) may be
added as well.

@daily.darija
 BASIC VERBS
Regular verbs
IN DARIJA

INFINITIVE TRANSLATION (ENG)

3ref to know
shreb to drink
l3eb to play
rsem to draw
n3es to sleep
lbes to wear
dkhel to enter
gles to stay/sit
khrej to go out
rje3 to return
tfrej to watch
ste3ml to use
khdem to work

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 BASIC VERBS
Irregular verbs
IN DARIJA

INFINITIVE TRANSLATION (ENG)

kan to be
lam to blame
mat to die
sag to drive
sam to fast
dab to melt
daz to pass
fat to pass
shaf to see
3am to swim
da9 to taste
lah to throw
zar to vist

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 BASIC VERBS
Irregular verbs
IN DARIJA

INFINITIVE TRANSLATION (ENG)

zad to add
ghab to be absent
tab to be cooked
dar to do/make
tah to fall
tar to fly
sal to leak
fa9 to wake up
ba3 to sell
9as to touch
ta9 to trust
ban bhal to look like
ban to appear

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 BASIC VERBS
Irregular verbs
IN DARIJA

INFINITIVE TRANSLATION (ENG)

bna to build
shera to buy
bka to cry
n9a to clean
ja to come
twa to fold
9la to fry
sala to finish
msha to go
bgha to like/love
wra to show
ghna to sing
9ra to teach

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 BASIC VERBS
Irregular verbs
IN DARIJA

INFINITIVE TRANSLATION (ENG)

9ra to read/study
l9a to find
tmena to hope
tla9a to meet
t9da to go shopping
tsara to walk around
t7ada to defy
tgheda to eat lunch
t3esha to eat dinner
bra to be cured
tsala to run out
thela to take care
khaf to be scared

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Let’s practice together:
Describe in the present tense the following
activities.

Shnu katdir / kaydiro?

What does she do? what do they do?

l3eb. rsem.
to play to draw

@daily.darija
Let’s practice together:
Describe in the present tense the following
activities.

Shnu katdir / kaydiro?

What does she do? what do they do?

kayl3ebo kora. katrsem.

they play soccer she draws

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 Shukran!

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