mamlaka مملكة
Moroccan Darija · noun
“mamlaka” (مملكة) is a noun in Moroccan Darija meaning kingdom.
Meanings
- kingdom
Usage
Mamlaka means a kingdom. In Morocco, it is used mainly in the expression lmamlaka lmaghribiya ("the Kingdom of Morocco"), very common in the media, official documents and anthems. In everyday conversation, people simply say lmeghrib to refer to the country. Mamlaka keeps an official or solemn tone. It is also heard when speaking of other monarchies, as in lmamlaka l3arabiya s-sa3oudiya. The pronunciation varies between mamlaka and memlaka.
Example
المملكة المغربية فيها بزاف ديال المدن زوينين
lmamlaka lmaghribiya fiha bzzaf dyal lmodon zwinin
“The Kingdom of Morocco has many beautiful cities.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “mamlaka” but also “memlaka” and “mamlakat”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.