The fastest way to learn Moroccan Arabic is to spend most of your study time on Darija you can mostly understand. This goes by the name comprehensible input. The plan below shows what to read and hear at each level, and how to split an hour of study.
What Should You Do at Each Level?
Find the level that sounds like you. Its bar shows how to spend an hour of study.
- First Steps
I can't read Arabic letters yet.
Learn the alphabet 20 min. Listen 40 min.
Bubblegum writes Darija in Arabic script, so start with the letters. Listen to easy Darija while you learn them, so the sounds feel familiar by the time you read.
- Level 1
I can read Arabic letters, but need help with words.
Read and listen 35 min. Review 15 min. Speak 10 min.
Read two-line cafe scenes with audio and a translation, and hear each one twice. Add a free beginner course for the basics, and copy a greeting aloud.
- Level 2
I can read simple sentences.
Read and listen 40 min. Review 10 min. Speak 10 min.
Read with the translation hidden, and look up only the word that blocks you. Work through one unit a week of the Peace Corps course for structure.
- Level 3
I can read short chats and stories in written Moroccan Arabic.
Read and listen 40 min. Review 5 min. Speak 15 min.
Listen to a Daily Darija episode twice, and add its transcript if you subscribe. Talk about the topic with a tutor from Morocco for a few minutes.
- Level 4
I can read longer texts about everyday life.
Read and watch 45 min. Review 5 min. Speak 10 min.
Watch short real videos with Arabic transcripts and English translations. Read a lesson on the same topic first, so the new words feel familiar.
- Level 5
I can follow complex topics, but miss some details.
Listen and watch 50 min. Speak 10 min.
Watch clips from Moroccan TV shows and films with word-by-word transcripts and translations. Retell what you watched to your tutor.
- Level 6
I can follow detailed arguments and subtle meanings in written Moroccan Arabic.
Listen and watch 50 min. Speak 10 min.
Follow Moroccan comedy, music, and posts written in Darija, and talk about them with friends because you enjoy them.
Read these splits as a sketch. Move up once a level's lessons go smoothly, and down again if most lines need help.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Moroccan Arabic?
Qalam wa Lawh in Rabat teaches Darija in six levels of 80 class hours each, 480 hours in all, with core courses of 20 or 30 class hours a week. For a longer view, the U.S. Foreign Service Institute puts Arabic in its hardest group for English speakers, at about 2,200 class hours for its students to reach level 3 in speaking and listening on the ILR scale. That figure is for Arabic as FSI teaches it, not Darija in particular.
| Study Per Week | Qalam's Six Levels (480 Hours) | FSI's 2,200 Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 3½ hours | About 2⅔ years | About 12 years |
| 7 hours | About 1⅓ years | About 6 years |
| 14 hours | About 8 months | About 3 years |
| 28 hours | About 4 months | About 1½ years |
Both figures count class time, so the table shows a workload, not a promise about self-study.
What Slows Moroccan Arabic Learners Down?
- A Course in a Different ArabicDarija's everyday words often differ from Modern Standard Arabic and from Egyptian Arabic. Choose courses that say Moroccan or Darija.
- Only Reading Latin LettersOnline Darija in Latin letters and numbers is handy for chats, but it spells sounds in many ways. Learn the Arabic script so lessons and signs make sense.
- Phrase Lists AloneA list of the 500 most common words gives meanings, but not how they're used or how they sound in a fast chat. Meet them in Darija scenes you understand, and reread those scenes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Moroccan Arabic App Should a Beginner Choose?
If you are serious about learning Moroccan Arabic, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. Our Moroccan Arabic comparison also covers Glossika's Darija course, uTalk, and tutors on italki and Preply.
Can I Learn Moroccan Arabic in Three Months?
You can learn the alphabet and enough Darija to greet people, buy things, and say where you're from. At 14 hours a week, three months is about 180 hours, which is under half of Qalam's 480 class hours, so measure progress by tasks like ordering at a cafe.
How Much Should I Study Moroccan Arabic Each Week?
Three to five hours a week of Darija you can follow is a good target, in sittings of 15–30 minutes or more. Longer sittings let you follow a whole episode, and spreading them across the week works better than a run of very short ones.
Is Moroccan Arabic Hard for English Speakers?
FSI ranks Arabic among its hardest languages for English speakers. For Darija, the new alphabet and sounds take the most time, while borrowed French and Spanish words help if you know those languages.
Is Bubblegum Free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- U.S. Department of State, Foreign Language Training (FSI language categories and class hours)
- Live Lingua: Peace Corps Moroccan Arabic course
- Darija School: free courses
- Daily Darija (free podcast episodes; transcripts and vocabulary with a paid subscription)
- Playaling: Maghrebi Darija Arabic videos with transcripts and translations
- The Armchair Arabist: Moroccan TV and film clips with word-by-word transcripts and translations
- italki: Arabic (Maghrebi) teachers
- Qalam wa Lawh Center, Rabat: Moroccan Arabic (Darija) in six levels of 80 class hours each; core courses of 20 or 30 class hours a week
