Home / Free Lessons / Moroccan Darija / A2.1
LESSON 40Telling the Time
Lesson objective
In this lesson, you will learn how to ask what time it is and give the time in Darija.
Basic time structure
To express time, use: hadi + the number with the definite article. The definite article changes according to the first sound of the number.
Hours
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| One | l-wнda |
| Two | j-juj |
| Three | t-tlata |
| Four | r-rb3a |
| Five | l-xmsa |
| Six | s-stta |
| Seven | s-sb3a |
| Eight | t-tmnya |
| Nine | t-ts3ud |
| Ten | l-3šra |
| Eleven | l-нḍaš |
| Twelve | ṭ-ṭnaš |
Useful time words
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| Before / to | ql |
| And / past | u |
| Exactly | nišan |
| Quarter | rb3 |
| Twenty minutes | tulut |
| Half | nṣ |
| Quarter to | lla rob |
| Five minutes | qṣm |
| Ten minutes | qṣmayn |
Asking the time
What time is it? — šнal hadi f s-sa3a?
Giving the time
| English | Darija |
|---|---|
| It is exactly one o’clock | hadi l-wнda nišan. |
| It is five minutes past two | hadi j-juj u qṣm. |
| It is ten minutes past three | hadi t-tlata u qṣmayn. |
| It is a quarter past four | hadi r-rb3a u rb3. |
| It is twenty minutes past five | hadi l-xmsa u tulut. |
| It is twenty-five minutes past six | hadi s-stta u xmsa u 3šrin. |
| It is seven thirty | hadi s-sb3a u nṣ. |
| It is eight thirty-five | hadi t-tmnya u xmsa u tlatin. |
| It is twenty minutes to nine | hadi t-ts3ud ql tulut. |
| It is a quarter to ten | hadi l-3šra lla rob. |
| It is ten minutes to eleven | hadi l-нḍaš ql qṣmayn. |
| It is five minutes to twelve | hadi ṭ-ṭnaš ql qṣm. |
Morning and evening
| Time | Darija |
|---|---|
| 6:30 a.m. | s-stta u nṣ d ṣ-ṣbaн |
| 5:15 p.m. | l-xmsa u rb3 d l-3šiya |
Time exercise
Match each time with the correct Darija expression.
Times: 10:30, 12:00, 1:05, 2:20, 11:10, 9:40
Expressions: l-wнda u qṣm, l-нḍaš u qṣmayn, ṭ-ṭnaš nišan, l-3šra ql tulut, l-3šra u nṣ, j-juj u tulut
Ready to Take Your Moroccan Darija to the Next Level?
Learning new words and expressions is only the beginning. The fastest way to turn what you learn into real communication is to practice with a native Moroccan teacher who can correct your pronunciation, answer your questions, and help you speak with confidence.
✓ No subscription required
✓ Choose between Darija, Arabic, or Quran lessons
✓ Receive a personalized learning recommendation based on your level
✓ Trusted by students and families in 40+ countries