Moroccan Darija Numbers 1-100: How to Count Money and Ask Prices Like a Local (Full Guide)

By Fatima – Moroccan girl from Casablanca living in Milan – 8 min read

When I first took my Italian husband to the souk in Marrakech to buy a leather bag, I will never forget his face. The seller looked at him and said in Darija “Mia ou khamsin”. My husband smiled and told me in Italian “Oh 150 dirhams, that’s cheap!”. I had to pull him outside and tell him: No habibi, it’s not 150. It’s 250 dirhams. And the bag was small.

That day I understood why so many tourists get confused and pay double in Morocco. It’s not because Moroccan sellers are bad people. It’s because we Moroccans count money in a different system. We don’t always say Dirham. We say Rial. And we say numbers backwards.

If you are going to Morocco soon, to Marrakech, Fez, Tangier or Chefchaouen, you need this guide. I will teach you numbers 1 to 100 the way we really use them in the street, in the souk, in taxi, in restaurant. Not the way Google Translate teaches you. The real way.

1. Numbers 1 to 10: You Must Memorize These First

Everything in Darija is built on numbers 1 to 10. If you know these, you know 80% of counting. Please say them out loud with me.

Take your time. Say them 3 times: Wahed, Jouj, Tlata, Rab3a, Khamsa, Setta, Seb3a, Tmenya, Tes3oud, 3achra. If you can say this in taxi, the driver will be shocked and happy.

2. Numbers 11 to 19: Super Easy Trick

In English you have eleven, twelve, thirteen – different words. In Darija it’s much easier. We just add “tash” at the end.

11 = Hdash, 12 = Tnash, 13 = Tletash, 14 = Rba3tash, 15 = Khemstash, 16 = Settash, 17 = Sba3tash, 18 = Tmentash, 19 = Tse3tash

See? Tlata + tash = Tletash = 13. Khamsa + tash = Khemstash = 15. So easy to remember.

3. Tens: 20, 30, 40 until 100

Now tens. Also easy:

20 = 3achrin, 30 = Tlatin, 40 = Rba3in, 50 = Khamsin, 60 = Settin, 70 = Seb3in, 80 = Tmanin, 90 = Tes3in, 100 = Mia

Now the BIG difference with English and French: In Darija, we say the small number FIRST.

In English you say Twenty-Five. In Darija we say Khamsa ou 3achrin. Which means Five and Twenty. Literally 5 and 20 = 25.

More examples:

27 = Seb3a ou 3achrin (7 and 20)

34 = Rab3a ou tlatin (4 and 30)

48 = Tmenya ou rba3in (8 and 40)

59 = Tes3oud ou khamsin (9 and 50)

99 = Tes3oud ou tes3in (9 and 90)

Practice this: If you want to say your hotel room number 47, say Seb3a ou rba3in. People will understand you immediately.

4. The Most Important Part: How Moroccans Count Money – Dirham vs Rial

This is the part that no other website explains correctly, and this is why tourists lose money.

In Morocco, our official currency is Moroccan Dirham (MAD). But in the souk, especially in Marrakech, Fez and old medinas, people still count in Rial.

Here is the conversion you must write in your phone:

1 Dirham = 20 Rial = 100 Franc (old French centime)

So when a seller says a number, you MUST ask: Is it in Dirham or Rial?

Example 1: He says “Mia”. Mia means 100. But 100 what? If it’s 100 Rial, that’s only 5 Dirhams (less than 0.50 euro). If it’s 100 Dirham, that’s 100 Dirhams (10 euro). Big difference!

Example 2: He says “Alf”. Alf means 1000. In souk language, 1000 Rial = 50 Dirhams.

Example 3: He says “Alfain”. Alfain means 2000 Rial = 100 Dirhams.

Example 4: He says “Khamsa alaf”. 5000 Rial = 250 Dirhams.

Last week my cousin wanted to buy babouches. Seller said “Tmen mia”. She thought 800 Dirhams. I told her no, tmen mia means 8 x 100 Rial = 800 Rial = 40 Dirhams! She bought them for 40 Dirhams.

My golden rule: Always ask “B Dirham wla b Rial?” which means “In Dirham or in Rial?”. And always confirm with calculator on phone. Type the number and show screen.

5. How to Ask Price and Bargain Like a Moroccan Woman

Now you know numbers, you need sentences. Copy these exactly:

How much is this? = Bshhal hada? (for masculine object) or Bshhal hadi? (for feminine)

Too expensive! = Ghali bzaf!

Give me good price = Dir liya taman zwin

Last price? = Akhir taman?

I am not a tourist, I live here = Ana machi touristi, ana sakna hna. Say this with a smile, even if you are tourist. It works! They will laugh and give you Moroccan price.

No thank you = La shukran, ma bghitch

My strategy for bargaining: I always offer 50% of first price, then go up slowly. If he says 200 Dirhams, I say 100. He says 180, I say 120. We meet at 140-150. Always with smile and “Rbi ykhallik” (God keep you).

6. FAQ: Questions Everyone Asks Me

How do you say 0 in Darija?

Sefr. Like zero in Arabic. We say Sefr.

Why do Moroccans still use Rial?

Because before Dirham, we used Rial and Franc when French were here. Old people in souk kept the habit. Young people in Casablanca and Rabat now count in Dirham only. But in Marrakech old medina, always Rial. So you must know both.

How do you say 1,000,000?

Mlioun. Same as million. 1,000,000 Dirham = Mlioun Dirham.

What about 1st, 2nd, 3rd?

We don’t use much. But L’awwel = first, Tani = second, Talet = third.

How to say my phone number?

Say digit by digit. Example 06 12 34 56 78 = Sefr setta, tnash, tlata ou rba3in, khamsa ou setta, seb3a ou tmanin.

About me: My name is Fatima, I am 26, from Casablanca, now living in Milan, Italy with my Italian husband. I started this website MyDarijaGuide because my husband could not count money in Morocco and paid double for everything. Now he can bargain better than me! I want to help you not make same mistake. Thank you for reading and please comment your number below and I will correct you.