دلاح
dellaḥMoroccan, everyday
In Moroccan Arabic, watermelon is دلاح (dellaḥ). In standard Arabic it is بطيخ أحمر (baṭṭīkh aḥmar), literally "red melon".
Meaning: large green fruit with red flesh (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| دلاح | dellaḥ | Moroccan, everyday |
| بطيخ أحمر | baṭṭīkh aḥmar | standard |
Summer markets call out دلاح (dellaḥ) by the kilo, and it is a common fruit at the end of a meal in hot months.
Which one should you use?
In Morocco the word بطيخ (beṭṭīkh) on its own usually points to the yellow melon, which is why people say دلاح (dellaḥ) when they want watermelon.
Did you know?
- Moroccan Arabic gives the currency its own name, درهم (dirham), and market prices for fruit like دلاح (dellaḥ) are quoted in dirhams per kilo.
Examples in context
- بغيت شي دلاحةbghit shi dellaḥaI want a watermelon.
- الدلاح بارد وحلوddellaḥ bārd w-ḥlūThe watermelon is cold and sweet.
Example conversation
Hamid buys fruit from a seller at a market in Marrakech.
- Hamidالسلام عليكم، بشحال الدلاح؟slām ʿlīkum, bshḥāl ddellaḥHello, how much is the watermelon?
- Sellerبعشرة دراهم للكيلوbʿashra drāhim lkīlūTen dirhams a kilo.
- Hamidعطيني وحدة كبيرةʿṭīnī wāḥda kbīraGive me a big one.
