In Moroccan Arabic, there are four types of verbs and the present tense conjugation in DARIJA has the following form:
English / DARIJA / Present Tense Form
I / Ana / Kan …
You (Sing, M) / Nta / Kat …
You (Sing, F) / Nti / Kat … i
He / Howa / Kay …
She / Hiya / Kat …
We / 7na / Kan … o
You ( Plur ) / Ntouma / Kat … o
They / Houma / Kay … o
Contents
Present Tense Form for CCC & CC Verbs:
CCC Verbs form:
Most verbs in Moroccan Arabic (Darija) have the CCC form (Consonant, Consonant, Consonant).
Examples of verbs:
Ftr (To have breakfast)
Chrb (To drink)
Lbs (To put on clothes / get dressed)
Gls (To sit)
N3s (To sleep)
Khrj (To go out)
Rj3 (To come back/To return)
Qlb (To search)
Qt3 (To cut)
CC verbs form:
7l (To open)
Sd (To close)
Kb (to pour)
Chd (To take/To catch)
To conjugate verbs of the CCC & CC type, you add the present form as mentioned above:
Ana Kanchrb
Nta Katchrb
Nti Katchrbi
Howa Kaychrb
Hiya Katchrb
7na Kanchrbo
Ntouma Katchrbo
Houma Kaychrbo
Present Tense Form for CCV and CVC:
CCV Verbs Form:
Examples of CCV (Consonant, Consonant, Vowel) verbs:
Chra (to buy);
Mcha (to go);
Nqa (to clean);
CVC Verbs Form:
Examples of CVC (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant) verbs:
Kan (to be);
Gal (to say);
Tar (to fly).
Ban (appear);
To conjugate verbs of the CCV or CVC type in the present tense in Darija:
- Some verbs keep the vowel “a”;
- Some verbs, the vowel “a” is transformed into “i” or “ou“.
For example, the CCV verb “mcha” becomes “mchi”and you add the present form:
Ana Kanmchi
Nta Katmchi
Nti Katmchi
Howa Kaymchi
Hiya Katmchi
7na Kanmchio
Ntouma Katmchio
Houma Kaymchio
For example, the CVC verb “gal” becomes “goul” and you add the present form:
Ana Kangoul
Nta Katgoul
Nti Katgouli
Howa Kaygoul
Hiya Katgoul
7na Kangoulo
Ntouma Katgoulo
Houma Kaygoulo
Irregular verbs:
In the present tense, there are two irregular verbs: khda (to take) and kla (to eat).
The verb “Khda” in Present Tense:
Ana Kanakhod
Nta Katakhod
Nti Katakhdi
Howa Kayakhod
Hiya Katakhod
7na Kanakhdo
Ntouma Katakhdo
Houma Kayakhdo
The verb “Kla” in Present Tense:
Ana Kanakol
Nta Katakol
Nti Katakli
Howa Kayakol
Hiya Katakol
7na Kanaklo
Ntouma Kataklo
Houma Kayaklo
NB: We advise you to check also the lesson about the Future form in the Moroccan dialect.