Emergency Darija: what to say when you need help in Morocco

You probably won't need these. Morocco is generally safe (see our cultural rules guide). But if something goes wrong, a scooter accident in Marrakech, food poisoning in Fes, a stolen phone in Casablanca, fumbling for Google Translate while panicking is not a plan. Memorize these or screenshot this page. Seriously. Do it now.

I've lived through enough medical situations in Morocco to know that the gap between "I speak some Darija" and "I can explain what hurts" is the gap between getting proper treatment and getting a confused shrug. Doctors in private clinics usually speak French. Doctors in public hospitals sometimes don't. Nurses rarely do. The pharmacist at 11pm definitely doesn't. Your Darija doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to exist.

The essential emergency phrases

These are the phrases that buy you time. Scream them if you have to. People will respond.

Darija	Arabic	Meaning
3afak 3awni!	عافاك عاوني	Please help me!
3eyyet l-ambulance!	-	Call an ambulance!
fin l-sbitar?	-	Where's the hospital?
fin l-pharmacie?	-	Where's the pharmacy?
fin l-boliis?	-	Where's the police?
tsre9 lia!	-	I've been robbed!
twedder lia l-passport	-	I lost my passport
3endi accident!	-	I had an accident!
3eyyet l-boliis!	-	Call the police!
ana mrid / ana mrida	-	I'm sick (m/f)

Body parts, the full list you actually need

In Darija, you add "-i" to the end of a body part to say "my." So "ras" (head) becomes "rass-i" (my head). This works for everything. Memorize the base word and you've got both.

Darija	With "my"	Meaning
ras	rass-i	head
rejl	rejl-i	foot / leg
9lb	9lb-i	heart
yedd	yedd-i	hand / arm
wdn	wdn-i	ear
fomm	fomm-i	mouth
dhr	dhr-i	back
snan	snan-i	teeth
wjh	wjh-i	face
kersh	kersh-i	stomach / belly
3in	3in-i	eye
rkba	rkbt-i	knee
ktf	ktf-i	shoulder
sba3	sba3-i	finger
7nk	7nk-i	throat / jaw

How to describe symptoms in Darija

The magic sentence is "ka-yderrni [body part]", my [body part] hurts. That single pattern handles 70% of medical conversations. But you'll need more than that if the doctor asks follow-up questions.

Darija	Meaning
ka-yderrni rass-i	My head hurts
3endi skhuniya	I have a fever
3endi l-berd	I have a cold
3endi is-hal	I have diarrhea
ka-ntrje3	I'm vomiting
ka-n7ess b-dukha	I feel dizzy
ma-9der-sh ntness	I can't breathe properly
twerrem [body part]	[Body part] is swollen
ka-ynsab lia d-demm	I'm bleeding
t7erre9t	I got burned
3endi allergie	I have an allergy
dert shi 7aja khatira	Something serious happened to me
3endi soukkar / diabete	I have diabetes
3endi tension	I have high blood pressure

Describing duration matters. "Men l-bare7" (since yesterday). "Men 3 iyyam" (for 3 days). "Daba ghir bdal" (it just started). Doctors always ask when it began, so have this ready.

At the doctor, full dialogue

Hospital vs. pharmacy vs. clinic, when to go where

This trips up a lot of foreigners. Morocco's healthcare system doesn't work like what you're used to in Europe or North America. Here's the breakdown.

Pharmacie (pharmacy): Your first stop for anything minor. Moroccan pharmacists are well-trained and can diagnose common problems on the spot. Sore throat, mild infection, stomach issues, allergies, skin rash, go to the pharmacie first. They'll sell you medication without a prescription for most things (antibiotics included, which surprises Westerners). Open late, found on every other street corner. No appointment needed. Just walk in and describe your problem.

Clinique privee (private clinic): For anything that needs a real exam, persistent pain, injuries that need imaging, blood tests, anything you'd see a GP for back home. Private clinics are clean, efficient, and the doctors almost always speak French. Expect to pay 200-400 dirhams for a consultation (20-40 euros). No insurance needed upfront, you pay cash and claim later if you have travel insurance. Major cities have excellent private clinics. Marrakech, Casa, Rabat, Fes, you'll find specialists for everything.

Sbitar / hopital (public hospital): For emergencies, serious trauma, and situations where you need immediate intervention. Public hospitals are free or very cheap, but they're overcrowded, understaffed, and the experience can be overwhelming. The CHU (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire) in major cities is the highest tier. If you're in a real emergency, car accident, chest pain, broken bones, this is where the ambulance takes you. Bring someone who speaks Darija if you can.

The honest advice: for non-emergencies, go private. The cost difference is negligible compared to what healthcare costs in the US or UK, and the quality of care is genuinely good. Morocco trains excellent doctors, many studied in France.

At the pharmacy, dialogue and vocabulary

Common medications in Darija

Moroccans use French brand names for most medications, but you'll hear these Darija terms constantly.

Darija / local term	What it is
dwa	Medicine (generic, the word you'll use most)
7abba / 7boub	Pill / pills
sirop	Syrup (cough syrup, etc.)
pomada	Ointment / cream
pi9our	Injection / shot
doliprane	Paracetamol (the default painkiller, everyone knows this brand)
advil / ibuprofen	Ibuprofen (just say the brand name)
antibiotique	Antibiotic (French word, used as-is)
smecta	For diarrhea (brand name everyone uses)
gouttes	Drops (eye drops, ear drops)
pansement	Bandage / band-aid
thermometre	Thermometer

Quick tip: if you can't remember the Darija, just describe your symptom. Moroccan pharmacists are used to playing detective. Point at what hurts, mime the problem, and they'll figure it out. They've seen it all.

Accident and car crash phrases

Morocco's roads are... let's say unpredictable. Scooters weave through traffic, donkey carts share lanes with trucks on rural highways, and the concept of a lane is more of a suggestion. If you're in an accident or witness one, here's what you need.

Darija	Meaning
wa9e3 accident!	There's been an accident!
drebni tomobil	A car hit me
dreb tomobil-i	He hit my car
kayn jerr7a	Someone is injured
3eyyet l-pompier!	Call the fire department!
ma-9der-sh n7errek rejl-i	I can't move my leg
bghit constat	I want an accident report
3tini numero d-l-assurance dyalk	Give me your insurance number
tsewwer b-telephone	Take photos with your phone (what bystanders will tell you to do)

After a minor accident: don't move the cars until the police arrive. Both parties need to fill out a "constat amiable" (accident report form). Every car should have one in the glove box. If the other driver wants to settle without police ("ntsalhou bina-tna", let's settle between us), be very careful. For anything more than a scratch, get the official report. Your insurance won't cover it otherwise.

Lost and stolen items

Pickpocketing happens, mostly in crowded medinas and tourist zones. Phones are the number one target. Here's what you need to report it and get help.

Darija	Meaning
tsre9 lia telefon-i	My phone was stolen
tsre9 lia l-portefeuille	My wallet was stolen
twedder lia l-passport	I lost my passport
twedder lia l-valise	I lost my suitcase
twedder lia l-mfta7 dyal l-bit	I lost my room key
bghit ndir plainte	I want to file a report
fin l-commissariat?	Where's the police station?
waqt-ash wq3at?	When did it happen? (police will ask you)
fin wq3at?	Where did it happen? (police will ask you)
3endi copie dyal l-passport	I have a copy of my passport

For a lost passport, you'll need to go to the police first to get a declaration of loss ("declaration de perte"), then to your embassy or consulate. Keep a photocopy of your passport somewhere separate from the actual passport. That one piece of preparation saves you days of hassle.

Insurance and payment at the hospital

Morocco's healthcare system runs on a mix of cash, local insurance (CNSS for salaried workers, AMO for broader coverage), and private insurance. As a foreigner, here's what you actually need to know.

Darija / phrase	Meaning
3endi assurance	I have insurance
ma-3endi-sh assurance	I don't have insurance
bghit nkhelles b-la carte	I want to pay by card
bghit la facture	I want a receipt/invoice
ch7al khass nkhelles?	How much do I need to pay?
wesh tqblu assurance dyal l-kharij?	Do you accept foreign insurance?
bghit recu bach ndir remboursement	I need a receipt for reimbursement

Private clinics accept cash and usually cards. Public hospitals are cheap but expect cash. Always ask for a "facture" (receipt), your travel insurance will need it. Most travel insurance works on a pay-first-claim-later basis in Morocco. Don't expect anyone at the hospital to call your insurer for you. Pay, get the paperwork, sort it out later.

Costs for reference: a private clinic consultation runs 200-400 MAD. An X-ray is about 300-500 MAD. Blood tests: 200-600 MAD. A night in a private hospital room: 1,500-3,000 MAD. By Western standards, this is absurdly cheap. Don't let cost be the reason you skip medical care.

The Moroccan healthcare system, what foreigners need to know

Morocco has been investing heavily in healthcare over the past decade. The new "generalisation de la protection sociale" program is expanding coverage to the entire population. But the system still has a clear two-tier reality.

Public hospitals (CHUs) in Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, and Marrakech have genuinely skilled doctors and decent equipment. The problem is volume. Wait times can be hours. Emergency rooms can be chaotic. Bureaucracy is thick. If you're not in a life-threatening situation, you'll wait. Bring water. Bring patience. Bring someone who speaks Darija fluently if your level isn't conversational.

Private clinics are the opposite experience. Short waits, clean facilities, doctors who speak French and often English. The Clinique International in Casablanca, Clinique Achifaa in Marrakech, and similar facilities in other cities are on par with good European clinics. You don't need a referral. Walk in, ask for a consultation, see a doctor within the hour.

Pharmacies are everywhere, Morocco has one of the highest pharmacy-to-population ratios in Africa. They're open late (many until 10pm or later), and there's always a "pharmacie de garde" (night pharmacy) on duty 24/7 in every neighborhood. The rotation schedule is posted on every pharmacy door. Look for the green neon cross.

Important numbers

Number	Service
19	Police (in cities)
15	Fire department / Ambulance
177	Gendarmerie (outside cities, on highways)
141	SOS Medecins (private doctors who do house calls)

SOS Medecins (141) is the one most foreigners don't know about. They're private doctors who come to your hotel room or riad. Available in all major cities, 24/7. They speak French, carry basic medications, and charge around 400-500 MAD for a visit. When you're too sick to move but it's not an emergency, this number is gold.

Most Moroccans will help you immediately if you say "3afak 3awni." The culture of hospitality runs deep, deeper than anywhere I've been. People will stop what they're doing, call someone, drive you to the hospital in their own car, sit with you in the waiting room, translate for you. I've seen a shopkeeper close his shop to take a tourist to the clinic. That's not unusual. That's Morocco. Don't hesitate to ask for help.

Learn these at darji.

Going to Morocco soon? Our Phrasebook Packs give you printable cheat sheets for exactly these situations, souk, taxi, restaurant, hotel. See plans.