The short answer
Darija, Moroccan Arabic, is the everyday language on the street and in the souks. Morocco's official languages are Arabic and Amazigh (Tamazight), and Tamazight is common in the Atlas villages near the city. French is used widely in hotels, restaurants, business and on road signs, and English is common in the tourist trade.
In more detail
Darija is its own dialect, shaped by Amazigh, French and Spanish. Speakers of Egyptian or Gulf Arabic often find it hard to follow, and Modern Standard Arabic, the written register, is understood but not spoken in conversation on the street.
French is a legacy of the French Protectorate, which ran from 1912 to 1956. It is the language of menus in Gueliz, riad reception desks and most signage, so a little French goes a long way in the new town.
On a day trip into the High Atlas you will mostly hear Tamazight and Darija, with less French. A few words of greeting in Darija, even badly pronounced, get a warmer welcome than anything else you can say.
Expect languages to be mixed. A shopkeeper may greet you in French, quote a price in English and call to a neighbour in Darija. It is normal, and nobody expects you to keep up.
Good to know
- 'Salam' for hello, 'shukran' for thank you.
- 'La, shukran' is the polite no to vendors.
- In Gueliz, start in French.