Festivals & Events

1. العيد الكبير

   l-ʿīd l-kbīr

   Eid al-Adha (Great Eid)

   Usage

   The feast on the 10th of the last Islamic month, when families slaughter a sheep and share the meat. Many shops close for days and travel is crowded. The date moves about 11 days earlier each year.

   Grammar Note

   Literally "the big feast", paired with "the small feast" (العيد الصغير).

2. العيد الصغير

   l-ʿīd ṣ-ṣghīr

   Eid al-Fitr (Small Eid)

   Usage

   The feast at the end of Ramadan. People visit family and relatives and offer sweets.

   Grammar Note

   The Darija Wikipedia title is لعيد الصغير; here the full ال is written.

3. رمضان

   ramaḍān

   Ramadan

   Usage

   The month of fasting from dawn to sunset. Some eateries close by day and opening hours change; evenings are lively.

   Grammar Note

   A noun naming the item. The spelling is checked against dictionaries, Wikipedia and DODa; said alone it works as the name.

4. عيد مبارك

   ʿīd mbārak

   Happy Eid

   Usage

   The greeting exchanged on Eid days. It can be followed by a wish that the feast "enter upon you with health and well-being".

   Grammar Note

   Mbārak means "blessed".

5. رمضان مبارك

   ramaḍān mbārak

   Blessed Ramadan

   Usage

   A greeting exchanged at the start of and during Ramadan; "ramaḍān karīm" is also used.

   Grammar Note

   Composed of DODa-verified words (ramaḍān, mbārak).

6. الفطور

   l-fṭūr

   Iftar (breaking the fast)

   Usage

   In daily speech it means "breakfast"; in Ramadan it names the sunset meal that starts with harira, dates and chebakia.

   Grammar Note

   One word names two meals; in Ramadan the context makes the meaning clear.

7. المولد النبوي

   l-mawlid n-nabawī

   Mawlid (Prophet's birthday)

   Usage

   The anniversary of the Prophet's birth on the 12th of the third Islamic month, a public holiday marked with religious chants and shared meals.

   Grammar Note

   The title of the Arabic Wikipedia article; نبوي means "of the Prophet".

8. عاشوراء

   ʿāshūrāʾ

   Ashura

   Usage

   The tenth day of the first Islamic month. In Morocco children get toys, people give alms, and in some places they splash water on each other.

   Grammar Note

   The title of the Arabic Wikipedia article; in Darija speech the final hamza is not pronounced.

9. عيد العرش

   ʿīd l-ʿarsh

   Throne Day

   Usage

   A national holiday on 30 July marking the king's accession; flags decorate the streets.

   Grammar Note

   ʿīd (holiday) + ʿarsh (throne).

10. المسيرة الخضراء

    l-masīra l-khaḍrā

    Green March Day

    Usage

    A national holiday on 6 November, commemorating the 1975 Green March.

    Grammar Note

    Masīra means "march" and khaḍrā "green" (feminine). Follows the title on the Darija Wikipedia.

11. عيد الاستقلال

    ʿīd l-istiqlāl

    Independence Day

    Usage

    A national holiday on 18 November celebrating independence from the French protectorate.

    Grammar Note

    Istiqlāl is a standard-Arabic word.

12. عيد الشباب

    ʿīd sh-shabāb

    Youth Day

    Usage

    A national holiday on 21 August, linked to the king's birthday.

    Grammar Note

    A noun naming the item. The spelling is checked against dictionaries, Wikipedia and DODa; said alone it works as the name.

13. ثورة الملك والشعب

    thawrat l-malik w-sh-shaʿb

    Revolution of the King and the People

    Usage

    A national holiday on 20 August, commemorating the 1953 resistance against the French protectorate.

    Grammar Note

    The official standard-Arabic name, with ث; the و attaches to the next word.

14. إيض يناير

    īḍ yennāyer

    Amazigh New Year (Yennayer)

    Usage

    The Amazigh (Berber) new year around 13-14 January, an official public holiday since 2024.

    Grammar Note

    The title on the Darija Wikipedia.

15. موسم طانطان

    mūsem ṭānṭān

    Tan-Tan Moussem

    Usage

    An annual gathering of nomadic tribes in the southern town of Tan-Tan, listed by UNESCO as intangible heritage, with camel races, music and horsemanship.

    Grammar Note

    Mūsem ("season") also means a seasonal fair or saint's festival.

16. موسم إملشيل

    mūsem imlshīl

    Imilchil Moussem

    Usage

    A tribal gathering held in September in Imilchil in the High Atlas, with a market alongside.

    Grammar Note

    The title on the Arabic Wikipedia is موسم إملشيل.

17. مهرجان الورود فقلعة مڭونة

    mahrajān l-wrūd f-qalʿat mgūna

    Rose Festival (Kelaat M'Gouna)

    Usage

    A rose-harvest festival in Kelaat M'Gouna in the Dadès valley, held around May, with stalls of rose water and rose products.

    Grammar Note

    The ف attaches to the next word. The place name قلعة مݣونة of the Darija Wikipedia is written here with ڭ.

18. مهرجان ڭناوة وموسيقى العالم

    mahrajān gnāwa w-mūsīqā l-ʿālam

    Gnaoua and World Music Festival

    Usage

    A music festival held in Essaouira in June where Gnawa musicians play with artists from around the world.

    Grammar Note

    The و attaches to the next word.

19. مهرجان موازين

    mahrajān mawāzīn

    Mawazine Festival

    Usage

    A large music festival held in Rabat around June, with local and international artists.

    Grammar Note

    A noun naming the item. The spelling is checked against dictionaries, Wikipedia and DODa; said alone it works as the name.

20. المهرجان الدولي للفيلم بمراكش

    l-mahrajān d-dawlī l-l-film b-marrākesh

    Marrakech International Film Festival

    Usage

    A film festival held in Marrakech from late November into December.

    Grammar Note

    The official name in standard word order; the prepositions ل and ب attach to the next word.

21. التبوريدة

    t-tbūrīda

    Tbourida (horseback musket display)

    Usage

    A horse display in which riders gallop in a line and fire blanks at the same moment, seen at moussems and festivals.

    Grammar Note

    The title on the Darija Wikipedia.

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