I figured I should explain how I plan to achieve fluency in Darija. Especially since the readers of this site are most likely looking to achieve similar results. The tough part of Darija is that there isn’t many resources out there and trying to learn in an English speaking country makes it even more difficult. However I did find some online resources which I plan to use which I will list below.
Speak Moroccan – This site is a great site to introduce you to the grammar and to build your vocabulary. It also has a forum where you ask people to translate sentences for you. (Edit: As of September 2017, I tried to register to access more material but they never approved my registration, when I emailed them, they never responded)
Armchair Arabist – This is a blog from someone who has studied Darija in Morocco. He explains a lot of the commonly used grammar and provides video clips of shows in Darija with a written translation. (Edit: there haven’t been any new posts, for years on this blog)
The Mazyan Bzaf show – A podcast where with a Moroccan teacher and American student. They go over some of the common phrases and some episodes are completely spoken in Darija. (Edit: As of January 2020, I can no longer find this podcast)
memrise – A great app to learn new words. It’s not only limited to Darija but I think every language is on this app.
Youtube – There are some great videos that teach some lessons in Darija
In addition to the online resources I plan to practice with my fiancé on a daily basis. Like I mentioned before Darija is a language that is meant to be spoken in order to learn it. If any of you are looking for someone to practice Darija with, send me an email and I can assist you with finding someone. Also I plan to listen to a Moroccan radio station (Aswaat Radio) while I drive to work and come home.
On top of this I plan to continue studying formal Arabic and to use Duolingo to learn some French. Remember that Darija is a blend of Arabic, French and Berber. The more Arabic and French I know the better it will be learn Darija (at least this is my thought).
So there you have it. My online resources and plan to learn to Darija in 6 months. This plan isn’t written in stone. If I find certain things are not working I will make adjustments. I’ll also cite the sources I used as I post. If you guys have any questions or inquiries drop a comment below or email me.
Besalama.