Morocco language: what do people speak in Morocco?

Morocco language: what do people speak in Morocco?

Most people in Morocco speak Darija, Moroccan Arabic. Arabic and Amazigh are the two official languages, and French is everywhere in towns: shop fronts, menus, receipts, road signs. This guide draws on the Constitution and the 2024 census, and on what all that means once you are behind the wheel.

Photo: Lucyin — CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Published on 3 October 2026

Contents

  1. What are the official languages of Morocco?
  2. Primary language in Morocco: what language do they speak day to day?
  3. Is English spoken in Morocco?
  4. On the road: signs and place names
  5. A few useful Darija words for the road

What are the official languages of Morocco?

Article 5 of the 2011 Constitution makes Arabic the official language of the State and adds that Amazigh is also an official language, a heritage shared by all Moroccans. The same article provides for the learning of foreign languages.

French has no official status. You still meet it in government offices, banks, universities and on many road signs.

Primary language in Morocco: what language do they speak day to day?

Darija, Moroccan Arabic. According to the 2024 general census published by the High Commission for Planning (HCP), 91.9% of the population uses it (96.3% in towns, 84.5% in the countryside).

Amazigh is used by 24.8% of the population according to the same census (33.3% in rural areas, 19.9% in towns). It comes in three main forms: Tachelhit in the Souss and Anti-Atlas, Tamazight in the Middle and High Atlas, and Tarifit in the Rif. Several Amazigh associations dispute these figures as too low.

Is English spoken in Morocco?

Increasingly. According to the 2024 census, 20.5% of literate Moroccans aged 10 and over can read and write English, against 57.7% for French and 1.2% for Spanish.

At hotels, rental desks and the big tourist sites you will usually get by in English, especially with younger staff. Outside the cities, French is the safer second language.

On the road: signs and place names

Article 27 of Organic Law 26-16 puts Amazigh next to Arabic on signs along roads and in bus stations, airports, ports and public spaces. The same law adopts the Tifinagh alphabet to write it. On the road, most signs also give town names in Latin letters.

One place can have several spellings: Fès or Fez, Tétouan or Tetouan, Al Hoceïma or Al Hoceima. If your GPS finds nothing, try the other spelling or drop the accents.

A few useful Darija words for the road

“Salam” for hello, “choukran” for thank you, “bslama” for goodbye, “fin?” to ask where. Add “wakha” (OK) and “bchhal?” (how much?) and you can handle a toll booth, a fuel stop or a police check with a smile.

The rental itself happens in writing on Loccor, in English, French, Spanish or Arabic. The agency’s conditions are on the car page before you book, deposit included: with or without a deposit depending on the agency.

Frequently asked questions

What language is spoken in Morocco?

The most widely spoken language in Morocco is Darija, Moroccan Arabic, used by 91.9% of the population according to the 2024 census. Arabic and Amazigh are the official languages.

Do people speak English in Morocco?

More and more: 20.5% of literate Moroccans aged 10 and over can read and write English (2024 census). French is more widespread, at 57.7%.

What are the official languages of Morocco?

Arabic and Amazigh, under Article 5 of the 2011 Constitution.

What is the Moroccan language called?

Moroccan Arabic is called Darija. It is the everyday language of 91.9% of the population according to the 2024 census, while Arabic and Amazigh are the two official languages. French has no official status but is common in administration, banks and on many signs.

What is the main language in Morocco, and what language does Morocco speak day to day?

Arabic and Amazigh are the official languages (Article 5 of the 2011 Constitution). Day to day, the main language is Darija, Moroccan Arabic: according to the 2024 census published by the HCP, 91.9% of the population uses it.

What are the characteristics of the Moroccan Arabic dialect, Darija?

Darija is above all a spoken language. It grew out of Arabic but borrows many words from Amazigh, French and Spanish, which is why Arabic speakers from the Middle East often struggle to follow it. You will hear it everywhere, from toll booths to fuel stops, and a few words such as 'salam', 'choukran' and 'bslama' go a long way.

Is Darija an official or national language in Morocco?

No. Darija is the language 91.9% of the population uses day to day, according to the 2024 census, but it has no official status. The 2011 Constitution makes Arabic the official language of the State and Amazigh an official language too.

What language do people speak in Casablanca and the country's other big cities?

Darija first: according to the 2024 census, 96.3% of town dwellers use it. French comes next, on shop fronts, menus, receipts and road signs, and at hotels, rental desks and the big tourist sites you will usually get by in English, especially with younger staff.

Further reading

map of Morocco with cities

SIM card and country code for Morocco

a road trip in Morocco by car

hire a car in Marrakech

hire a car in Tangier

Sources

Visit Morocco — visitmorocco.com

Wikipedia — fr.wikipedia.org

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Written by the Loccor editorial team, the platform connecting travellers with car rental agencies in Morocco.

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