Ways to say it
| Moroccan Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| السروال الداخلي | seroual eddakhli | |
| كولوط | kulot | informal, from French, often feminine |
السروال الداخلي describes underwear in general, for a man or a woman. كولوط, borrowed from French culotte, is a casual word often used specifically for women's underwear.
What does it mean word for word?
سروال means 'trousers', and داخلي means 'inner' or 'inside', so the phrase literally means 'the inner trousers'.
Which one should you use?
السروال الداخلي is neutral and works for anyone. كولوط is more casual and leans toward women's underwear specifically, closer to French usage.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
السروال الداخلي is the safer, more neutral choice in mixed or polite company.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Both words are understood in Morocco, with كولوط more frequent in French-influenced city speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural سراويل داخلية (sarawil dakhliya) is used when speaking of underwear in general for shopping, such as at a market stall.
How do you pronounce it?
سروال is said: ser-WAL, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- كولوط is borrowed from French culotte, one of many clothing words in Darija that trace back to French.
- سروال, meaning 'trousers', is the same word used across North Africa and the Middle East for traditional wide trousers as well as ordinary pants.
Examples in context
- خصني نشري سراويل داخلية جداد.khesni neshri sarawil dakhliya jdad.I need to buy new underwear.
- السروال الداخلي ديالي ضيق بزاف.sseroual eddakhli dyali dayeq bzzaf.My underwear is too tight.
- شريت كولوط جديد من السوق.sherit kulot jdid men ssuq.I bought new underwear from the market.
Example conversation
Two friends, Siham and Rania, shop for clothes at a market stall.
- Sihamخصني نشري بزاف ديال السراويل الداخلية.khesni neshri bzzaf dyal ssarawil ddakhliya.I need to buy a lot of underwear.
- Raniaهاد المحل عندو بزاف ديال الأنواع.had lmahall 3andu bzzaf dyal lanwa3.This shop has lots of kinds.
- Sihamواخا، نشوفو شوية.wakha, nshufu shwiya.Okay, let's have a look.
- Raniaهاد الكولوط زوين، شوفي.had lkulot zwin, shufi.This underwear is nice, look.
