How to say 'hello' in Darija

Salam ʕalaykum is the default greeting in Morocco, broader than bonjour or hi. It works for shopkeepers, taxi drivers, your riad host, anyone.

The reply you’ll hear back is wa ʕalaykum salam (وعليكم السلام).

When to use it

• Walking into a shop, café, or taxi.
• Greeting an older person, regardless of context.
• Any time you’re not sure which French/Arabic register to pick, Salam always works.

Common variations

Darija	Transliteration	When
لاباس	Labas?	”How are you?”, informal, friend-level
كيف داير	Kif dayer? (m) / Kif dayra? (f)	“How’s it going?”, younger / casual
صباح الخير	Sbah l-khir	”Good morning”, before noon