Colors in Moroccan Darija: vocabulary and expressions
This article presents a complete guide to color vocabulary in Darija, along with commonly used expressions and practical examples to help you integrate these terms into real-life situations.
Basic Color Vocabulary in Moroccan Darija
In Moroccan Darija, most color adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe. Masculine forms are considered the base, while feminine forms are typically formed by adding an -a at the end.
| English Color | Masculine Darija | Feminine Darija |
|---|---|---|
| White | byed | beyda |
| Black | k7el | k7la |
| Red | 7mer | 7mra |
| Blue | zreq | zerqa |
| Green | khdar | khdra |
| Yellow | sfer | sfra |
| Grey | rmadi | rmadiya |
| Orange | lrnch | lrnchiya |
| Brown | qehwi | qehwiya |
| Pink | werrdi | werrdiya |
| Purple | mov | mova |
You can consult our English–Darija translation dictionary for more detailed definitions and usage examples of all these words.
Example Sentences
-
Siyyara zreqa. — A blue car.
-
Qamija 7mra. — A red shirt.
-
Ktab k7el. — A black book.
-
Drari labssin k7lin. — The boys are wearing black.
Note: When referring to people, color adjectives may also be used metaphorically to describe complexion or features. For example, k7el may refer to dark eyes or skin tone.
Advanced Colors and Color Shades
While the basic color set is widely used, more advanced speakers of Moroccan Arabic often use compound or borrowed terms to refer to specific shades of colors in Darija. These are mostly influenced by French, especially for less common shades.
| English Shade | Darija Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Light blue | zreq fati7 |
| Dark green | khdar ghameq |
| Beige | bij |
| Turquoise | torkwazi |
| Burgundy | bordeaux |
| Olive green | khdar zitouni |
| Sky blue | zreq smawi |
These shades are often used in fashion, interior design, and visual description. They can be heard in Moroccan shops, street markets, and advertisements.
Expressions Using Colors in Darija
Colors are not only descriptive in Moroccan Arabic — they also carry emotional and symbolic meanings. Below are common expressions and idioms involving color vocabulary.
Popular Idiomatic Expressions
| Expression (Darija) | Literal Meaning | Usage/Meaning in Context |
|---|---|---|
| Wjjh byed | White face | Someone honorable/respected |
| Lyoum s7ab k7lin | Black clouds day | A gloomy or unlucky day |
| 3ndha 7yya sfra | Yellow face | She looks pale/ill |
| Lqalb k7el | Black heart | Someone with bad intentions |
| 3lik zreq | You are blue | You’re bruised / hurt emotionally or physically |
Expressing Emotions with Colors
-
Ana fer7an bzaf, kifech ghir sfra! — I’m so happy, like sunshine!
-
Rassi sda, koulchi s7ab k7lin. — My head is full, everything feels dark (overwhelming).
These expressions often rely on symbolic associations — white for honor, black for misfortune or secrecy, yellow for sickness or fragility.
Gender and Plural Agreement with Colors
As with many adjectives in Darija, colors must agree with the noun they describe in both gender and number.
Gender Agreement
-
Masculine singular: qamij byed — white shirt
-
Feminine singular: qamija beyda — white blouse
Plural Agreement
For plural forms, most adjectives take the suffix -in or -at depending on the gender of the noun.
-
Masculine plural: ktab k7lin — black books
-
Feminine plural: qmayej beyda — white blouses
Learn More Darija with Related Articles
To expand your Moroccan Arabic skills beyond color vocabulary, continue exploring essential categories of everyday language:
-
Learn about the days of the week and the months in Moroccan Darija to schedule your week or talk about time.
-
Practice simple conversation starters in How to introduce yourself in Moroccan Arabic?
-
Deepen your vocabulary around relationships with Vocabulary related to love in Moroccan Arabic (Darija)
Darija School
Social media