The Death in Darija is lmôt لموت, rarely used as un undefined word, death is well defined! Môt means also die! Lmôt comes from the MSA word for death, mawt موت.

“Allah y3tik lmôt” الله يعطيك لموت. That is a common curse in Darija, wishing death for someone.

We also use the expression “môt bssmm” موت بالسم , which is literally: die of poison. The expression is used to tease someone real hard, like when you want to make them envy you for something you have and they don’t. It’s a childish expression. Like when Samya buys the newest Fulla doll, and wants to annoy her friend Salma: “Hâ hiyyâ lmonîka jjdîda dyâli, iwâ môtî bssmm”. ها هي لمونيكة الجديدة ديالي. إيوا موتي بالسم. (Here is my new doll! So môtî bssmm!). This is used normally when the two girls are mad at each other and exchanging those provoking “insults”. I wonder what could be the most appropriate English expression for this!

And while talking about death, we can’t but mention the death angel – malak almawt ملك الموت - named in classical Arabic: 3azrâ2îl عزرائيل, turned into 3zrâyn عزراين in Darija. The English form of this name is Azrael.

The death angel is often caricaturized, like in the image above, “as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe, and wearing a midnight black gown, robe or cloak with a hood. Usually when portrayed in the black-hooded gown, only his eyes can be seen.” This is called “The Grim Reaper”, and it’s originated in Scotland.

What if you think that you are seeing the death angel? What would happen to you?
Watch how did some people take it, and their face expressions.

Edit:

Thanks to Bouba’s comments, here are some Moroccan Darija expressions that use the word death:

- Kaymôt 3lîhâ كيموت عليها - He loves her to death.
- Kanmôt bnn3âs كنموت بالنعاس - I am dying of sleepiness.
- Kanmôt bjjô3 كنموت بالجوع - I am dying of hunger.
- Kanmôt bl3ya كنموت بالعيا - I am dying of tiredness.
- Mât lîh l7ôt مات ليه الحوت - “His fish is dead”, he doesn’t impress anyone anymore.
- Mâtô lîh l7jrât ماتو ليه الحجرات - “His batteries are dead”, he has no more energy.
- Mghârba 7ttâ lmôt مغاربة حتى لموت - Moroccans until we die.
- Lmôt dyâl DD7k لموت ديال الضحك - Equivalent of “lol.
- Llî ma qtlât tsmmn اللي ما قتلات تسمن – “What doesn’t kill you, makes you more fat”. What doesn’t harm you, will do you good. [Fat here almost means healthy].
- Mât lklâm مات لكلام – The deal is done.

Sllâya صلاية is a carpet, the one used that we Muslims use for prayers. The word Sllâya comes from the verb Slla صلى, to pray. The MSA word for it is sjjâda سجادة, which comes from the verb sjd سجد, to prostrate. Some Moroccans use sjjâda too, like in MSA.

A Sllâya looks like a miniature of zrbiyya. It also has nice designs, but mainly a picture of Ka3ba.

In this post, and for a change, here is a very short and easy exercise for Darija learners.

For the words Sllâya and sjjâda, form:

- The defined form,

- Undefinred plural,

- Defined plural.

You can refer to these lessons:

- The definite article.

- Plurals.

And for a hint: The feminine form.