In this guide
Petit vs grand taxi · Flagging one down · Agreeing the price · During the ride · Practice in SayDarija
First: petit taxi vs grand taxi
Petit taxis are small city cabs (up to 3 passengers) and should use a meter — "kontor" (كونتور). Grand taxis are older shared Mercedes running fixed routes between towns, usually at a set per-seat fare. For petit taxis, always ask for the meter.
Flagging one down & saying where you go
| Darija | Arabic | English |
|---|---|---|
| Salam, wash khawi? | سلام، واش خاوي؟ | Hi, are you free/empty? |
| Bghit nemshi l... | بغيت نمشي ل... | I want to go to... |
| ...l-medina l-qdima | المدينة القديمة | ...the old medina |
| ...la gare | لاݣار | ...the train station |
| Waqila 3rifti l-blasa? | واقيلا عرفتي البلاصة؟ | Do you know the place? |
Agreeing the price (the important part)
| Darija | Arabic | English |
|---|---|---|
| Khddem l-kontor 3afak | خدّم الكونتور عفاك | Turn on the meter, please |
| Bsh7al ghadi ykon? | بشحال غادي يكون؟ | How much will it be? |
| Ghali bzzaf | غالي بزاف | That's too expensive |
| B taman m3qol 3afak | بثمن معقول عفاك | A reasonable price, please |
Tip: Agree the meter or a price before you get in. If the driver refuses the meter, it's fine to say "bslama" and wait for the next one.
During and ending the ride
- Hna mzyan (هنا مزيان) — "Here is good" (to stop).
- Wqef hna 3afak (وقف هنا عفاك) — "Stop here please."
- 3tini l-baqi (عطيني الباقي) — "Give me the change."
- Shukran, bslama (شكرا، بسلامة) — "Thanks, goodbye."
Do it in the app
Rehearse the whole taxi ride before you land
In SayDarija, start the "Take a taxi" roleplay. You'll play the passenger while the AI plays the driver — greeting, giving your destination, asking for the meter and settling the price. Tap Speak to say "Khddem l-kontor 3afak" out loud until it sounds natural, and save the price phrases so you're ready the moment you step off the plane.
Download on theApp Store