How to say "I don't understand" in Moroccan Darija
مَا فْهَمْتْش
ma fhamtsh
- Without tashkeel
- ما فهمتش
- Franco / chat alphabet
- ma fhamtch
- Literally
- not I-understood-not
When to use it
This is the standard, everyday way to say 'I don't understand' (literally 'I didn't understand') in Moroccan Darija. It is used universally across all regions and levels of formality. Note that Darija uses the past tense form to express immediate lack of understanding of something just said.
Other ways to say it
emphasized
مَا فْهَمْتْ وَالُو
ma fhamt walou
I didn't understand anything
Use this to strongly emphasize that you are completely lost.
directed at a person
مَا فْهَمْتْكْش
ma fhamtksh
I didn't understand you
Use this to specify that you didn't understand the speaker, rather than the general situation.
habitual/general
مَا كَانْفْهَمْش
ma kanfhamsh
I don't understand (in general)
Use this for general inability to understand a language or subject, rather than a specific sentence.
How people reply
شْنُو مَا فْهَمْتِيش؟
shno ma fhamtish?
What didn't you understand?
غَادِي نْشْرَحْ لِيكْ
ghadi nshra7 lik
I will explain it to you.
نْعَاوْدْ لِيكْ؟
n3awd lik?
Should I repeat it for you?
In a sentence
سْمَحْ لِيَّا، مَا فْهَمْتْش شْنُو قْلْتِي.
sma7 lya, ma fhamtsh shno glti.
Sorry, I didn't understand what you said.
وَاشْ يْمْكْنْ تْعَاوْدْ عَافَاكْ؟ مَا فْهَمْتْش.
wash ymkn t3awd 3afak? ma fhamtsh.
Can you repeat please? I didn't understand.
مَا فْهَمْتْش هَادْ لْكْلْمَة، شْنُو كَتْعْنِي؟
ma fhamtsh had lklma, shno kat3ni?
I don't understand this word, what does it mean?