What are the most common insults in Darija?
The most common are animal names: 7mar ( حمار , donkey = idiot), kelb ( كلب , dog), bhim ( بهيم , beast = stupid), 7ellouf (pig = dirty). Mkellekh means idiot, khayb ugly/bad, and 7shouma 3lik (“shame on you”) is the most Moroccan reproach there is.
Mild insults and teasing
Among friends, these words are used while laughing. With a stranger, they remain insults.
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Donkey / idiot | 7mar (fém. 7mara) | حمار |
| Beast / idiot | bhim (fém. bhima) | بهيم |
| Idiot, moron | mkellekh | مكلخ |
| Stupid (soft-brained) | meslout | مسلوط |
| Crazy | 7meq (fém. 7emqa) | حمق |
| Ugly / rubbish | khayb (fém. khayba) | خايب |
| Radin | m9ette3 / bkhil | مقطع |
| Liar | keddab | كذاب |
| Lazy | m3eggez | معكز |
| Heavy, painful | tqil | ثقيل |
| Talkative / chatterbox | khettaf / bla bla | خطاف |
Average insults
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Dog | kelb (fém. kelba) | كلب |
| Dirty / dirty | 7ellouf | حلوف |
| Garbage (literally “trash”) | bouzebbal | بوزبال |
| Thug | shemkar | شمكار |
| Dirty / filthy | mwessekh | موسخ |
| Stinky | khanez | خانز |
| Stupid | 3ayan / m3affen | معفن |
| Go away / get out | sir f 7alek | سير فحالك |
| Shut up | skot / sedd fommek | سكت / سد فمك |
| God curse you | Allah yen3el… | الله ينعل |
Phrases starting with Allah yen3el ("God curse") are serious: thrown at someone's parents, they trigger a real fight.
Really vulgar insults
We do not detail them here. Just know that words starting with zeb- , qe7- , m9ewwed or zamel are real sexual or homophobic profanities, and that sir t9ewwed or yen3el… followed by a family member are the worst things you can say in Morocco. If you hear them, the situation is already very tense; never repeat them, even as a joke.
How to respond to an insult in Darija
| English | Darija | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| Shame on you | 7shouma 3lik | حشومة عليك |
| Respect yourself | 7terem rasek | احترم راسك |
| It cannot be said | Hadshi ma kaytgalsh | هادشي ما كيتكالش |
| Leave me alone | Khellini f 7ali / Beslek | خليني فحالي |
| Calm down | Hedden / Behhed | هدن |
| It doesn't matter, forget it | Safi, khellih | صافي خليه |
| May God guide you | Allah yhdik | الله يهديك |
Allah yhdik (“may God put you back on the right path”) is the most elegant response: it defuses without insulting in return.
7shouma: shame as a social regulator
In Morocco, 7shouma (shame, what is appropriate) is more effective than an insult. Saying 7shouma 3lik to someone — in front of witnesses — is worth every bad word. Conversely, insulting in public makes you lose face much more than the person you are targeting. Concretely: understand these words so as not to be taken by surprise, but to be respected, remain polite, use khoya / khti and keep smiling.
For words useful in everyday life, see the Moroccan expressions and the Darija-French dictionary .
Frequently asked questions
What does 7mar mean in Darija?
What does kelb mean?
What does 7shouma mean?
What does mkellekh mean?
How to respond to an insult in Darija?
Is it serious to insult in Darija?
Understand what they say to you — and respond correctly
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