Getting started
Specify that you want Algerian darija, indicate the region if you know it and say who you are talking to. The Latin examples on this page are used to prepare short exchanges; listen to a model before using them orally.
Simple intentions to express
| English | Proposal in Algerian Darija | Context |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? | Wesh rak ? | To a man. |
| How are you? | Wesh raki ? | To a woman. |
| I'm fine. | Rani mli7. | A man talks about himself. |
| I'm fine. | Rani mli7a. | A woman talks about herself. |
| The food is delicious. | Lmekla bnina. | A compliment during a meal. |
| A little. | Chwiya. | To answer a quantity question. |
| It’s very expensive. | Ghali bezzaf. | To comment on a price. |
| Where? | Win ? | To be completed with the place or object sought. |
These forms do not represent all regional variants. If your loved ones use another expression, keep their version with an example situation.
Who is speaking, and to whom?
In the first two questions, the form changes depending on who you are talking to. In both responses, it changes depending on who is speaking. This is a useful distinction when you are having a sentence translated for yourself or for someone else.
Avoid removing an ending because it looks small. To check a translation, specify the person and compare two examples in the same context. The greeting guide helps you extend the first exchange.
A more precise translation instruction
First write your intention in your language: a polite question to a friend, a brief response during a meal, or a message to family. Then add the desired dialect, context and format.
“Suggest a short sentence in Algerian Darija for this situation. Specify who it is addressed to. Give its meaning in my language, a coherent transcription and words whose meaning depends on the context. »
If the answer is in standard Arabic, ask for a colloquial Algerian reformulation. If it sounds like a Moroccan translation you know, check with an Algerian speaker rather than assuming all expressions are interchangeable.
Exercise: choose the right shape
You approach a friend to ask her how she is. Choose between Wesh rak ? and Wesh raki ? . Then imagine that a woman responds that she is fine.
See correction
For the friend: Wesh raki ? . For a woman's response: Rani mli7a. . Then read the masculine forms to hear the difference.
Have your partner read both lines, then swap roles. The goal is to choose the form according to the situation, not to recite a list in the same order.
Build your personal phrasebook
Keep five really useful sentences, their meaning and a note about the person. Add a new sentence only when you can recall the first ones. To expand the vocabulary, consult the small Algerian dictionary .