bargain in morocco

7/27/2019 Bargain in Morocco

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8 0 M o r o c c a n A r a b i c

B a r g a i n i n g

O b j e c t i v e : B y t h e e n d o f t h e c h a p t e r , y o u w i l l b e a b l e t o :

b a r g a i n f o r b a s i c i t e m s , s u c h a s c l o t h i n g

d e s c r i b e t h e c o l o r s o f i t e m s

u s e m a s c u l i n e , f e m i n i n e , a n d p l u r a l a d j e c t i v e s c o r r e c t l y

d e s c r i b e d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n o b j e c t s u s i n g t h e c o m p a r a t i v e a n d s u p e r l a t i v e

B a r g a i n i n g

G e n e r a l B a r g a i n i n g I n f o r m a t i o n

I n M o r o c c o , b a r g a i n i n g i s a p a r t o f l i f e . I t c a n s o m e t i m e s b e t i r i n g f o r p e o p l e n o t u s e d t o i t , b u t w i t h

s o m e c u l t u r a l a n d l a n g u a g e s k i l l s , i t c a n b e c o m e m u c h e a s i e r . S o m e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t b a r g a i n i n g c a n

a l s o m a k e t h e p r o c e s s s i m p l e r .

F i r s t o f a l l , y o u n e e d t o k n o w w h a t i t e m s s h o u l d b e b a r g a i n e d f o r , a n d w h a t i t e m s n o r m a l l y h a v e f i x e d

p r i c e s , e v e n f o r M o r o c c a n s . T h i s i s n o t a l w a y s e a s y t o d e t e r m i n e , s i n c e t h e p l a c e w h e r e y o u b u y s o m e

t h i n g s m a y d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e p r i c e i s f i x e d o r n o t . F o r e x a m p l e , s o m e i t e m s t h a t a r e s o l d a t f i x e d

p r i c e s i n a anut ( e . g . l a u n d r y s o a p , v e g e t a b l e s , e g g s ) m a y b e b a r g a i n e d f o r i n t h e s o u k o r f r o m a s t r e e t

v e n d o r . A s k y o u r h o s t f a m i l y o r w a t c h o t h e r M o r o c c a n s i n o r d e r t o f i n d o u t . H e r e a r e s o m e g e n e r a l

g u i d e l i n e s f o r w h e t h e r p r i c e s a r e f i x e d o r n o t :

U s u a l l y B a r g a i n e d F o r S e l d o m B a r g a i n e d F o r

a n y a r t i c l e o f c l o t h i n g a n y h o u s e h o l d o r k i t c h e n u t e n s i l , a p p l i a n c e ,

o r f u r n i t u r e

r e n t f o r a h o u s e o r a p a r t m e n t t a x i f a r e s o n u n s c h e d u l e d r u n s a n y t h i n g b o u g h t i n a s o u k ( e . g . g r a i n s i n

b u l k , a n i m a l s , r u g s , e t c . )

a n y t h i n g b o u g h t f r o m a s t r e e t v e n d o r w h o h a s n o r e g u l a r s h o p

p e t i t t a x i f a r e s i f t h e m e t e r d o e s n o t w o r k a n y t h i n g u s e d o r s e c o n d - h a n d d o m e s t i c h e l p a n d s e r v i c e s ( m a i d , p l u m b e r ,

e l e c t r i c i a n , e t c . D e t e r m i n e t h e p r i c e b e f o r e

t h e w o r k i s d o n e . )

t h i n g s w h i c h a r e l i t e r a l l y b o u g h t e v e r y d a y : m i n t , p a r s l e y , b r e a d , c o r i a n d e r

r e f i l l o n a b u t a g a s c i g a r e t t e s a n d a l c o h o l m e a l s o r b e v e r a g e s i n r e s t a u r a n t s b u s f a r e s b e t w e e n s c h e d u l e d s t o p s t a x i f a r e s o n r e g u l a r r u n s p r i c e - c o n t r o l l e d s t a p l e f o o d s : s u g a r , o i l , t e a ,

f l o u r , m i l k , b u t t e r , e t c .

a n y t h i n g b o u g h t i n a p h a r m a c y m e a t a n d v e g e t a b l e s , i f t h e p r i c e p e r k i l o i s

p o s t e d

s c h o o l s u p p l i e s I t i s a l s o g o o d t o b e a w a r e o f s o m e o f t h e s t a n d a r d t a c t i c s t h a t a r e u s e d b e t w e e n t h e b u y e r a n d t h e s e l l e r

i n M o r o c c o . I f y o u w a t c h M o r o c c a n s , y o u w i l l s e e m a n y o f t h e s e .

T h e B u y e r s T a c t i c s T h e S e l l e r s T a c t i c s

n o t s h o w i n g t o o m u c h e n t h u s i a s m f o r b u y i n g n o t s h o w i n g t o o m u c h e n t h u s i a s m f o r s e l l i n g w a l k i n g a w a y w h e n t h e s e l l e r h a s n a m e d t h e

l o w e s t p r i c e

t u r n i n g a w a y w h e n t h e b u y e r h a s n a m e d t h e h i g h e s t p r i c e

p o i n t i n g o u t d e f e c t s i n t h e m e r c h a n d i s e n o t i n g t h e s u p e r i o r q u a l i t y i n t h e m e r c h a n d i s e q u o t i n g a l o w e r p r i c e f o r a n i d e n t i c a l i t e m i n

a n o t h e r s h o p

i n s i s t i n g t h a t g o o d s i n o t h e r s h o p s a r e n o t o f t h e s a m e q u a l i t y

c l a i m i n g n o t t o h a v e e n o u g h m o n e y t o m e e t t h e s e l l e r ' s l o w e s t p r i c e

c l a i m i n g t h a t i n s e l l i n g a t t h e b u y e r s h i g h e s t p r i c e h e w o u l d b e t a k i n g a l o s s

c o m p l i m e n t i n g o r f l a t t e r i n g t h e s e l l e r ( o n h i s s h o p , m e r c h a n d i s e , c h i l d r e n , f r i e n d l i n e s s )

c o m p l i m e n t i n g o r f l a t t e r i n g t h e b u y e r ( o n h i s o r h e r l a n g u a g e a b i l i t y , f r i e n d l i n e s s , e x p e r t i s e


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P e a c e C o r p s / M o r o c c o 8 1

i n b a r g a i n i n g )

T h e B u y e r s T a c t i c s T h e S e l l e r s T a c t i c s

a c t i n g i n s u l t e d b y t h e s e l l e r s p r i c e a c t i n g i n s u l t e d b y t h e b u y e r s o f f e r

a r g u i n g t h a t t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e s e l l e r s p r i c e a n d t h e p r i c e o f f e r e d i s

i n s i g n i f i c a n t ; i . e . t h e s e l l e r s h o u l d c o m e

d o w n t o t h e o f f e r e d p r i c e

a r g u i n g t h a t t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e b u y e r s p r i c e a n d h i s p r i c e i s i n s i g n i f i c a n t a n d

t h e b u y e r s h o u l d c o m e u p

p u l l i n g o u t o n e ' s m o n e y a s i f t h e o f f e r e d p r i c e h a s b e e n a g r e e d u p o n

w r a p p i n g u p t h e p u r c h a s e a s i f t h e a s k i n g p r i c e h a s b e e n a g r e e d u p o n

W h e n y o u a r e l o o k i n g t o b u y a n i t e m t h a t y o u k n o w y o u w i l l h a v e t o b a r g a i n f o r , t h e r e a r e a f e w t h i n g s

t h a t y o u s h o u l d p r o b a b l y t r y t o a v o i d . T h e s e i n c l u d e :

s h o w i n g t o o m u c h i n t e r e s t i n , o r t o o g r e a t a n e e d f o r , a p a r t i c u l a r i t e m

c a r r y i n g l a r g e s u m s o f m o n e y , c a r r y i n g e x p e n s i v e , p r e v i o u s l y - b o u g h t i t e m s , l o o k i n g l i k e a t o u r i s t

h a v i n g n o i d e a w h a t a n i t e m i s r e a l l y w o r t h , o r w h a t i s a f a i r p r i c e f o r t h a t t y p e o f i t e m b e i n g i n a h u r r y

b u y i n g w i t h a g u i d e ( h e g e t s a p e r c e n t a g e o f w h a t y o u p a y )

A l w a y s b e p r e p a r e d t o p a y a p r i c e y o u h a v e n a m e d . D o n o t g e t t o o f a r i n t o b a r g a i n i n g f o r s o m e t h i n g i f

y o u d o n o t i n t e n d t o b u y i t . I f y o u a r e n o t c l e a r o n t h e c u r r e n c y i n w h i c h y o u a r e b a r g a i n i n g ( i . e . r y a l s ) ,

p r o c e e d s l o w l y . I n t h e e n d , d o n t l e t a b a r g a i n i n g s c e n a r i o r u i n y o u r d a y . M o s t o f u s g o u n b o t h e r e d b y

t h e s o m e t i m e s h u g e m a r k u p s o n b i g - t i c k e t i t e m s i n A m e r i c a , y e t w e c a n b e e a s i l y f r u s t r a t e d b y a

M o r o c c a n m e r c h a n t w h o m a k e s a n e x t r a d o l l a r o r t w o o f f o f u s . R e m e m b e r t h a t o n e s p e a c e o f m i n d i s

w o r t h s o m e t h i n g , t o o .

B a r g a i n i n g E x p r e s s i o n s

Its too expensive! ali bzzaf! !

Lower the price. nqswiya. .

Give a good price. sawb m aya f t-taman. .

I wont add even a ryal. ma-n-zid tta ryal. .

Ill add nothing. ma-n-zid walu. .

Its too much for me. bzzaf liya. .

A good price. i taman mzyan. .

A reasonable price. i taman mnasb. .

Whats the last price? axir taman, al?

How much will I get it for? b al t-xllih (ha)? ) (

Thats what I have (money)! had -i l-li ndi! !

Thats my last price!hada huwa axir taman

dyali! !


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C l o t h i n g

C l o t h i n g

V o c a b u l a r y

clothes l- wayj

1. sifit

ma 11. fista

2. jean 12. jakit

a

3. srwal 13. pijama

4. qamija nskmm 14. kbbut

5. qamija 15. smt

a

6. grafat

a 16. T-shirt

7. jili 17. ort

8. kustim 18. al

9. triko 19. slip

3

2 4

5

67

8

9 10

11

17

12

15

16 18

20

14

1

13

19


4/14

Peace Corps / Morocco 83

10. triko col v 20. saya

1. kswa

11. sbrdila

2. zif / fular

12. butyu

3. jllaba

13. sbbat

4. gndura

14. sndala

5. liba 15. maya

6. sutyanat

16. xatm

7. ligat 17. alaqat

8. kaskita 18. qiq

9. tagiya

19. snsla

10. tqar

20. mdl

Clothing Expressions

Is there anything else? we kayna i aja xora?

Give me size ... please. tini n-nmra ... afak.

Try this one on. qiys hada / hadi.

Do you want another color? we biti i lun axor?

I prefer this color. kan-fdl had l-lun.

2

6

7

8

9

12

13

14

1617

18

19

20

15

10

11

15

3

4


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It goes well with you. ja / jat m ak. / .

C o l o r s

colors l-lwan

Masculine Singular Feminine Singular Plural

white byd

bid

a bid

in

blue zrq

zrqa

zrqin

black k l k la k lin

red mr mra mrin

yellow sfr sfra sfrin

green xdr xdra xdrin

brown qhwi qhwiya qhwiyin

orange limuni limuniya limuniyin

pink wrdi wrdiya wrdiyin

jri jriya jriyin

purplemdadi

mdadiya mdadiyin

grey rmadi rmadiya rmadiyin

golden dhbi dhbiya dhbiyin

dark m luq m luqa m luqin

light mftu mftu a mftu in

bright nas nas a nas in

faded baht bahta bahtin

A s y o u c a n s e e i n t h e t a b l e a b o v e , f e m i n i n e f o r m s o f c o l o r s a r e m a d e b y a d d i n g a n a s o u n d t o t h e

m a s c u l i n e f o r m , a n d p l u r a l s a r e m a d e b y a d d i n g in t o t h e m a s c u l i n e f o r m .

D i a l o g u e

Michael: s-salamu alaykum.

.

:

mul l- wayj: wa alaykum s-salam.

. :

Michael: b it jllaba afak! ! :

mul l- wayj: mujud a sidi, amn nmra? :

Michael: ma-n- rf. . :


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P e a c e C o r p s / M o r o c c o 8 5

mul l-

wayj: qiys hadi. Ah jat m ak! . ! :

Michael: kayna

ir f had l-lun? :

mul l-

wayj: kayna f l-byd, s-sfr u

l-k

l. . :

Michael: ara n-uf l-byd afak. . : mul l- wayj: hak a sidi.

. :Michael: b al had -i?

: mul l- wayj: hadi a sidi b 8000 ryal.

8 0 0 0 . :Michael:

aliya bzzaf,

adi

n- t

ik

ir 3000 ryal. 3 0 0 0

. :

mul l- wayj: lla, nqs

ti bzzaf. xudha

b 6000. . 6 0 0 0 . :

Michael: lla bzzaf. bslama. . . :

mul l-

wayj: aji, aji, tini ir 5000ryal.

5 0 0 0 . :Michael:

adi n- t

ik 3500 ryal.

b iti mzyan ma-b iti-

lla y-shl.

3 5 0 0 .

. :

mul l- wayj: ara a sidi 3500 ryal. i

bas ma-kayn.

3 5 0 0 .

. :

E x e r c i s e : R e a d t h e t e x t a n d a n s w e r t h e q u e s t i o n s .

Saida ndha bzzaf d t-tsbin l-yum:

s-srwal r-rmadi u l-qamija l-bidadyal rajlha. jean u T-shirt dyal

wldha. l-kswa l- mra u j-jakita

z-zrqa dyal bntha. s-saya l-xdra u

z-zif l-byd dyal Saida. welakin,

dyal mn t-tqar l-k

l?

:

. .

.

.

1. dyal mn s-srwal r-rmadi?1.

2. dyal mn T-shirt? nu l-lun dyalu?2.

3. we l-kswa l-

mra dyal Saida?3.

4. we s

-s

aya dyal Saida zrqa? 4.

5. nu l-lun dyal t-tqar?5.


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E x e r c i s e : W r i t e a d i a l o g u e f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g p i c t u r e s . T r y t o w r i t e i t

w i t h o u t l o o k i n g a t t h e p r e v i o u s p a g e s .


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88 Moroccan Arabic

56

34

12

78


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AdjectivesAdjectivesAdjectivesAdjectivesAdjectives come after the nouns they modify and must agree in gender and number. For example, if anoun is feminine and singular then the adjective that follows must be feminine and singular as well.

Feminine and plural forms of adjectives are derived from the masculine base form. The feminine form

is made by adding an a(

) to the end of the masculine form. The plural form, like with nouns, is not

always predictable. The two most common patternsare: adding in(

) to the masculine form, or

replacing the long vowel i( ) in the middle of an adjective with the long vowel a( ). An example ofeach plural form:

MasculineSingular

Plural

happy

in we add into form the plural

big i a we change ito ato form the plural

Adjectives in this first group (forming the plural with in) also have a feminine plural form that is used

when allthe members of a group are feminine. If their is a mixture of masculine and feminine peopleor objects, the masculine plural (often just called plural) is used. The feminine plural is formed byadding atto the masculine singular base form.

Common Adjectives

EnglishMasculineSingular

FeminineSingular

MasculinePlural

FemininePlural

good

pretty / hand-

some / good

bad / ugly

happy

sad / angry

clean

dirty

harried

late

soft

harsh

fresh


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90 Moroccan Arabic


FeminineSingular

MasculinePlural

FemininePlural

present

absent

sweet

salty

bland / tasteless

spicy

open

closed

fried / grilled

hungry

thirsty

busy

lazy

tired

reasonable / serious

enough

expensive

wide / large

married

old (something)

big (something)

old (someone)


11/14



FeminineSingular

MasculinePlural

FemininePlural

small (something)

young (someone)

new

far

near

tall / long

short

strong / correct

weak

simple / easy

cheap

poor

sick

Exercise:Exercise:Exercise:Exercise: Describe the following pictures using adjectives.Describe the following pictures using adjectives.Describe the following pictures using adjectives.Describe the following pictures using adjectives.

1. hada kmm qsir.

2. hada kmm _______.

34

5

6

7

8 9

10

11

12


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92 Moroccan Arabic

Comparative andComparative andComparative andComparative and SupSupSupSuperlative Adjectiveserlative Adjectiveserlative Adjectiveserlative AdjectivesComparative Adjectives

We use comparative adjectives when we are comparing two objects based upon some quality orcharacteristic. For example, in English we can say: I am taller than John. Taller than is thecomparative form of the adjective tall. Here are the comparative forms for some Arabic adjectives:

Adjectives Comparatives

good

better

nice

nicer

tall / long

taller / longer

short

shorter

big / old

bigger / older

small / young

smaller /younger

heavy

heavier

light

lighter

old (thing)

older (thing)

few

fewer

cheap

cheaper

expensive

moreexpensive

sweet

sweeter

As you can see above, for many adjectives (but not all) the comparative is formed by removing the longvowel ifrom the word. Here are some examples:

Sadia is younger than Malika.

The train is better than the bus.

Comparing Like Objects

In order to express that two things/people/etc. are the same, we can use either of two expressions:

the same / alike

the same / alike

Some examples:

Which is better: a blue shirt or agreen one?

They are the same.

As the example shows, the word ama( ) is used for comparisons when we mean which.


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Superlative Adjectives

The superlative adjective in Moroccan Arabic can be formed in two ways.First,by using the definite article with the adjective and inserting the personal pronoun:

Omar is bright.

Omar is the brightest student in

the class.

huwa l-

Susan is a pretty girl.

Susan is the prettiest.

hiya z-

Second,by prefixing a ( ) to the comparative adjective:

Casablanca is the largest city inMorocco.

a

Toubkal is the highest mountainin Morocco.

a

Exercise:Exercise:Exercise:Exercise: Compare each pair using comparative adjectives.Compare each pair using comparative adjectives.Compare each pair using comparative adjectives.Compare each pair using comparative adjectives.

Driss Hassan

t-tomobil dyal Mary

t-tomobil dyal Mike

d-dar dyal Judyd-dar dyal Mohamed

-klat l-xubz


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94 Moroccan Arabic

ExeExeExeExercise:rcise:rcise:rcise: Answer the following questions based upon the drawing.Answer the following questions based upon the drawing.Answer the following questions based upon the drawing.Answer the following questions based upon the drawing.

1. ama la l-nb wlla l-banan? 1.

2. ama rxs d-dlla wlla l-nb? 2. 3. ama sn d-dlla wlla l-banan? 3.

4. ama la l-nb wlla d-dlla? 4. 5. we l-nb huwa ala fakiha? 5. 6. nu hiya l-fakiha r-rxisa?

6.

d-dlla l-banan l-nb

Moroccan Wisdom: . l-li ddu l-n, kay-xaf mn l-bl.

The one bitten b a snake is a raid o ro es.

bargain in morocco

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