14 Amusing Moroccan Idioms
طلع تاكول الكرموس, نزل شكون قالها ليك
Come upstairs and have some figs, get downstairs who told you so!
The idiom is used figuratively when two opposites facts or views coexist, and one doesn’t know which one to believe or agree with.
أش خاصك يا العريان, خاصني خاتم الذهب يا مولاي
You! The one naked, what do you need? I need a ring made of gold.
It intends someone who doesn’t set his priorities right.
كون كان الخوخ كي داوي, كون داوى راسو
If peach was a healer, it would have healed itself.
In the past, if someone got sick, people would advise eating a peach, and they would get better. Though, peaches rotten easily, so how can they heal if they can’t even heal themselves?
The idiom implies that someone is not reliable.
المش إلى ما وصلش اللحمة, تي قول ليها خانزة
When the cat can’t reach the meat, he says nevermind it stinks anyway.
It refers to when someone doesn’t accomplish something, he starts making excuses.
الفقيه الي كانتسناو باركتو, دخل الجامع بي بلغتو
We were waiting for the priest benediction; but then, he got inside the Mosque with his Babouche.
Many don’t know that before getting inside a Mosquee, one should take their shoes off.
As the comedian, Gad El Maleh said in one of his stand-ups: ‘’I never understood what’s up with religions about clothes? If you’re a Jew, put a Kippa on your head before getting inside the synagogue. If you’re a Christian, then take your hat off before entering the church. And if you’re Muslim, take off your shoes before getting inside the mosque.’’
So, you know things are pretty bad when a priest himself gets in the mosque with his slippers.
The idiom is generally used when one seeks help from the wrong person.
تبع الكذاب حتى لباب الدار
Track the liar until his doorstep.
It means that if someone is lying, you should keep up with what they say; sooner or later, you’ll catch them.
لي بغا العسل, يصبر لقريص النحل
Who wants honey, shall bear the bees stings.
It means that if you want something worthy, then you have to be patient.
الخرية كتقلب على ختها وسط البحر
Poop looks for its match in the middle of the ocean.
People with low values tend to end up together.
الفار المقلق من سعد المش
The upset mouse makes the cat’s luck.
The tale of a mouse who got upset with the other mice and decided to leave thoughtlessly, the cat was waiting for him.
It implies that when one rushes into making a decision without thinking, not only will it harm them, but also someone else will take advantage of them.
دير راسك في النخالة, ينقبك الدجاج
Put your head inside the wheat bran, and the chickens will peck you.
If one puts his nose in someone else’s business, then he should bear the consequences.
حوتة كتخنز الشواري
It takes one fish to stink the whole basket.
Sometimes, it takes one thing to ruin everything.
It often refers to someone belonging to a group, and who behaves badly. And since people tend to get judgmental, he ends up discrediting the whole group.
طاحت الصومعة, علقوا الحجام
The tower fell, so they hanged the barber.
It’s difficult to find logic between these two sentences, and that’s the point indeed. It implies one who tries so hard to find a line of argument when there is none.
الفيل خاصو فيلا
The Elephant needs to mate.
Once upon a time, there was a tyrant Sultan. He had an elephant, which he loved more than anything. Yet, the animal was a burden for the peasants. He ate their fruits and ruined their fields. One day, they decided to go all together and complain to the Sultan about the damages the elephant caused. They went, and one gathered his strength and said: ‘’You grace! We came to talk to you about your beloved elephant.’’ All angry, the Sultan got up roaring: ‘’What about him?’’ Scared to the bone, the peasant replied: ‘’Nothing your Grace, everything is wonderful. We just thought the elephant needs to mate.’’
Nowadays, the idiom is used when one is already having a bunch of problems, and something comes along and makes things even worse.
ما تقول قطعت الواد حتى ينشفو رجليك
Don’t say you’ve crossed the river until your feet dry.
It means don’t celebrate a victory too soon.
Don’t let your guard down before time.
I hoped you giggle a little as you read!
If you have similar idioms in your language or dialect, please do share them! I’d love to giggle too.