What Languages Are Spoken in Morocco? Arabic, Amazigh, French and More
A quick fact guide to the languages of Morocco, covering Modern Standard Arabic, Amazigh, Moroccan Arabic, French, Spanish, Hassaniya, Haketía, media, passports, newspapers and regional language use.
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Browse the facts in order or use the search box to find a specific topic such as Amazigh, Darija, French, Spanish, Hassaniya, Haketía, Eurovision or Moroccan public television.
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Two official languages
Morocco has two official languages: Modern Standard Arabic and Amazigh.
Highest Amazigh share: Drâa-Tafilalet
According to the 2014 Moroccan Census, the Drâa-Tafilalet region has the highest percentage of Amazigh speakers.
Spanish in the North
Spanish is a widely spoken language in Northern Morocco.
Hassaniya in the South
There are speakers of Hassaniya Arabic in Southern Morocco.
French: top foreign language
French is the most spoken foreign language in Morocco.
English on the rise
English is the second most spoken foreign language in Morocco.
Amazigh official since 2011
Amazigh became an official language in Morocco in 2011.
Haketía heritage
Haketía, a form of Judeo-Spanish strongly influenced by Moroccan Arabic, was widely spoken by Sephardic Moroccan Jews.
Casablanca’s Arabic name
The city of Casablanca is known as الدار البيضاء (ad-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ) in Arabic.
Darija in urban areas
Moroccan Arabic (Darija) is spoken more in urban areas.
Amazigh in rural areas
Amazigh is spoken more in rural areas.
اسم المغرب
Morocco in Arabic is المغرب (Al-Maghrib), which means “the West” in English.
Member of La Francophonie
Morocco is a full member of the Francophonie.
Three Amazigh varieties
There are three variants of Amazigh in Morocco: Tarafit, Tashelhit and Central Atlas Tamazight.
Multilingual public TV
Moroccan public television broadcasts in Modern Standard Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, French, Amazigh and Spanish.
First telenovela dubbed into Darija
The first Mexican telenovela dubbed into Moroccan Arabic was “Las dos Caras de Ana” in the late 2000s.
First Oscar shortlist (2011)
The first shortlisted Moroccan film for an Oscar was “Omar Killed Me” in 2011; the film is in both French and Moroccan Arabic.
Official Bulletin: Arabic & French
Bulletin officiel du royaume du Maroc is published in both Modern Standard Arabic and French.
Darija at Eurovision (1980)
Moroccan Arabic was the first variant of Arabic to appear in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980.
Jebli’s Amazigh influence
Jebli Moroccan Arabic, spoken in the North of Morocco, is more strongly influenced by Amazigh than other varieties of Moroccan Arabic.
Andalusian Arabic legacy
Andalusian Arabic, once spoken in Al-Andalus, has influenced many varieties of Moroccan Arabic.
Social media in French (2014)
According to the Arab Social Media Report (2014), three-quarters of Moroccans use Facebook in French.
MAP’s five languages
The Maghreb Agence Press publishes in Modern Standard Arabic, English, French, Spanish and Amazigh.
Lingua Franca Mediterranea
The Lingua Franca Mediterranea was a contact language spoken in Moroccan ports before the 20th century.
أسود الأطلس
The nickname for the Morocco national football team is أسود الأطلس (‘Asūd al-Aṭlas), “The Lions of the Atlas”.
First newspaper (1860)
El Eco de Tetuán, in Spanish, was the first newspaper published in Morocco in 1860.
First Arabic-language paper (1886)
المغرب (Al Maghrib) was the first Arabic-language newspaper in Morocco, first published in 1886.
Amazigh TV channel (2010)
In 2010, the Moroccan public broadcaster launched a television channel exclusively in Amazigh.
Trilingual passports
The Moroccan passport is trilingual: Modern Standard Arabic, French and English.
Tachelhit: largest Amazigh variety
Tachelhit (Tashelhit) is the most spoken Amazigh language in Morocco.
Most Amazigh speakers worldwide
Morocco is the country with the most Amazigh speakers in the world.
Quick facts
Languages in Morocco FAQ
What are the official languages of Morocco?
Morocco has two official languages: Modern Standard Arabic and Amazigh.
Is French spoken in Morocco?
French is the most spoken foreign language in Morocco.
Is Spanish spoken in Morocco?
Spanish is a widely spoken language in Northern Morocco.
What is Darija?
Darija is Moroccan Arabic. It is spoken more in urban areas.
What are the main Amazigh varieties in Morocco?
There are three variants of Amazigh in Morocco: Tarafit, Tashelhit and Central Atlas Tamazight.
What languages are used on the Moroccan passport?
The Moroccan passport is trilingual: Modern Standard Arabic, French and English.