Moroccan Arabic translation, that is, translating documents between English and the dialect of Arabic spoken in Morocco, (known as Darija) is an Industry Arabic specialty. Morocco has long been a cultural and linguistic crossroads and bridge between two continents. This fact has made the Kingdom a strategic ally and partner to both Western and Arab nations for hundreds of years. Thanks to the nation’s relative stability in the wake of the Arab Spring, more attention is being paid to learning Morocco’s dialect.
Moroccan Darija is one of the most difficult Arabic dialects to comprehend. On one hand, there’s its rapid-fire pronunciation and cadence that’s hard to parse. On the other, there is an abundance of foreign loan words regularly used in conversation that make the language sound more like French and less like Arabic. So, where do you even begin when dealing with a translation project in Darija? If you’re looking to begin a project right away, head over to our quote page. If you’re looking for more information about our approach to Moroccan Arabic translation projects, read on.
Moroccan Arabic
The Moroccan dialect evolved over several centuries due to Arab, Berber, Spanish, and French occupations of this rich coastal territory. As such, Moroccan people are natural polyglots, usually fluent in French, Berber, and many variants of Arabic. While based in Classical Arabic, Darija developed to blend and utilize a lot of foreign words (especially French) in their everyday life. So much so, in fact, that some Arabs don’t even consider Darija to be a true Arabic dialect.
Morocco boasts a wealth of TV programs and popular music spoken in its vernacular. After listening to either, it becomes clear how different Darija is from the rest of the Arabic dialects. The main pronunciation variances between MSA and Darija include substituting ذ with د, the ت with ث, and ض and ظ with ط. Many cultural magazines and tabloids have also popped up in recent years printing articles in Darija. To account for sounds in loan words not found in traditional Arabic, printed Darija also includes the letters پ for “p” and گ for “g”. With all of this in mind, our translators can navigate through the more difficult aspects of this dialect and create the ideal translation for your business. For a full introduction to the Moroccan dialect, please consult this article.
Our Translation Philosophy
Even for native Arabic speakers, Moroccan Darija can be difficult to grasp. That’s why we have created our tried and true methods for translating any Darija project in an efficient and accurate manner. Below is a brief summary of what you can expect from an Industry Arabic translation:
- 100% Trusted Expert Human Translators: State-of-the-art translation software encounters problems when it comes to rendering accurate Modern Standard Arabic translations. As such, no computer program has even attempted to tackle all the various Arabic dialects, especially Darija. Our team of vetted translators, on the other hand, is comprised of specialists in various industries in dialects. We work with a variety of translators from all parts of the MENA region to bring you timely and accurate translations.
- Moroccan Linguists: Every translation goes through a two-step review process to verify accuracy and readability. With Darija projects, these processes are handled by professional Moroccan linguists who understand Maghreb’s language and culture. After finishing the translation, the translator edits and revises their work against the source text. Then, they submit the document to our project managers, who proofread it and ensure that it is ready for delivery. In this way, you know that your project is being handled by individuals familiar with this difficult dialect.
- Darija Specialists: Want to understand the latest 2M TV show? Wish you knew the lyrics to your favorite Saad Lamjarred song? Trying to decipher the best chicken tajine recipe? Whatever you need, we say maashi mushkiil (not a problem)! Our team can handle any type of document type or multimedia format to get the job done just the way you want it.
Sample Moroccan Arabic Translation Projects
A few Moroccan Darija projects that we are particularly proud of:
- Morocco Judicial Systems Translation – We translated a series of feasibility studies from English into Arabic on establishing new judicial institutes in Morocco. The project included technical requirements, a timeline, budget documents, and policy proposals for the requisite institutional changes. The job leveraged our team’s knowledge of the legal landscape and Arabic writing conventions in Morocco to produce appropriate translations for the target audience.
- Morocco Project Finance – We completed a series of documents on development projects in Morocco backstopped by a multilateral lending organization. The English-to-Arabic translation included handwritten stakeholder engagement reports in Darija, as well as formal reports in MSA.
For all of your Moroccan AR<>EN translation needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will provide a free and accurate quote shortly after receiving your request. From there, we will work with you every step of the way, and deliver the results you need. Using the template on the right hand of your screen, feel free to contact us for your free quote estimate today!
