What does it mean word for word?
شحال means 'how much', في (shortened to f) means 'in', and عمرك means 'your age' or 'your life'.
Which one should you use?
There is one everyday phrase for asking age in Darija, used across situations from casual chat to filling out a form by hand.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase works at every level of politeness, from children at school to greeting an elder relative.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase is used the same way across Morocco.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending ك for 'your' is the same for a man and a woman, so the question does not change based on who is being asked.
How do you pronounce it?
شحال is said with a clear, held a sound: sh-HAL.
What mistakes should you avoid?
It is common and polite in Morocco to ask this question directly, unlike cultures where asking age is considered too personal.
When do people say it?
Birthdays matter less in traditional Moroccan family life than milestones like marriage, so شحال فعمرك؟ is often asked plainly and without hesitation.
Did you know?
- The Darija ending ك for 'your' does not change between a man and a woman, unlike in languages that mark gender on every pronoun.
- عمر means both 'age' and 'life', so عمرك literally reads as 'your life', not just a number of years.
Examples in context
- شحال فعمرك؟shhal f 'omrek?How old are you?
- شحال فعمر ولدك؟shhal f 'omr weldek?How old is your son?
- عندي خمسة وعشرين سنة.3andi khamsa w 3shrin sana.I am twenty five years old.
Example conversation
Two neighbours, Samir and Hassan, chat about their children in Tetouan.
- Samirشحال فعمر بنتك دابا؟shhal f 'omr bentek daba?How old is your daughter now?
- Hassanعندها عشرة سنين.3andha 3shra snin.She is ten years old.
- Samirكبرات بزاف، ماشاء الله.kebrat bzzaf, mashallah.She's grown a lot, God bless.
- Hassanالحمد لله، الوقت كايمشي بسرعة.lhamdulillah, lweqt kaymshi b sor3a.Thank God, time flies.
