chamali شمالي
Moroccan Darija · adjective
“chamali” (شمالي) is an adjective in Moroccan Darija meaning northern, from the north.
Meanings
- northern, from the north
- from northern Morocco
Usage
Chamali describes what comes from the north, and in particular from northern Morocco: an accent, a cuisine, a breakfast, clothes. Used as a noun, it refers to a person from that region. The feminine is chamaliya, the plural chamaliyin. The word often evokes specific cultural traits, such as the local produce of the Jbala, fresh cheese or olive oil. It belongs to the common register and carries no particular pejorative nuance. It is used for an object as well as for a person.
Example
تشهيت شي فطور شمالي مع جبالة
tchehit chi ftour chamali m3a jbala
“I fancy a northern breakfast with the Jbala.”
Forms
| feminine | chamalia |
|---|---|
| plural | chamaliyin |
| feminine plural | chamalyyat |
Forms as recorded in DODa, in its spelling.
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “chamali” but also “shamali”, “chmali” and “chamaly”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.