by Mary Mimouna

Part I: Some General Language Advice for New Immigrants to Morocco
Part II: English in Morocco
Part III: Morocco's Official Languages
Part IV: Morocco's Unofficial Languages

Part I: Some General Language Advice for New Immigrants to Morocco

The best advice I can offer to anyone moving to Morocco (or ANY new country), and wanting to learn the language, is to have NEITHER a TV, nor an internet connection at HOME for the first year, or more. This will force you into interacting with people in the native languages of the country.

In Morocco, once you become fluent enough to have basic conversations with people on a variety of subjects, THEN get a TV, but DO NOT get a satellite dish. Instead, watch French TV, and preferably with friends, who can translate an unfamiliar word from time-to-time. Almost all the ex-pats I have known watch TV only in their native language 90+ percent of the time. Those who got satellite dishes immediately upon moving to Morocco have NEVER, EVER become fluent in the native languages. Those who have were forced to rely on nearly all interactions in the native languages.

If you feel you MUST have news in your own language, from the very beginning, I suggest relying on the weekly American news magazines, Time and Newsweek, and buying an occasional copy of USA Today, The International Herald Tribune, or one of the tabloid newspapers from England which are available in Morocco at foreign news stands. Also, it is a very good idea (both for pleasure and safety reasons) to bring a shortwave radio (purchased abroad before coming, with a long copper antenna wire for superior reception anywhere).

Most of the women who have become fluent in Moroccan Diriga Arabic learn it through forced interactions with maids who speak no French. Other men and women have learned it through friendships or long interactions with Moroccans, acquiring it piecemeal (see discussion below).