How do you say hello and basic greetings in Moroccan Darija?

The single word that opens every door in Morocco is "Salam" (sa-LAAM). It literally means "peace" and works any time of day with anyone — the shopkeeper, the taxi driver, the grandmother sweeping her doorstep. If you want the warmer, fuller version, say "Salam ou3likum" (sa-LAAM oo-a-lay-koom), "peace be upon you". When someone greets you that way, the polite reply is "Wa 3likum salam" (wa-a-lay-koom sa-LAAM), "and upon you, peace". I tell every traveller I work with to practise just these two lines on the plane — they are the difference between being treated as a tourist and being treated as a guest.

Right after "Salam" comes the rhythm of asking how someone is, and Moroccans love this back-and-forth. The go-to is "Labas?" (la-BAASS), meaning "all good?" or "no harm?". The answer is "Labas, hamdullah" (la-BAASS, ham-doo-LILLAH) — "good, thank God". You will hear "hamdullah" everywhere; tucking it onto your replies makes you sound instantly at home. People may also stack greetings: "Labas? Kif dayer?" (kif DA-yer, "how are you doing?" to a man) or "Kif dayra?" (DAY-ra, to a woman). Just smile and answer "Labas, hamdullah" and you have passed the test.

For time-of-day greetings, "Sbah lkhir" (SBAH l-kheer) is "good morning" and "Msa lkhir" (m-SA l-kheer) is "good evening". They feel a touch more formal — lovely for greeting your riad host at breakfast or an older person you want to show respect to. In the medinas of Marrakech and Fes I have watched a single well-pronounced "Sbah lkhir" earn a traveller a free glass of mint tea, because effort in Darija is read as genuine warmth rather than transaction.

A few real-world notes from the ground. Moroccans often touch their right hand to their heart after shaking hands — copy it, it reads as sincerity. With the opposite gender, wait to see if a hand is offered before extending yours; many people, especially in smaller towns, prefer the hand-to-heart gesture alone. And do not worry about a perfect accent. The "3" you see in "ou3likum" and "labas" is a throaty sound English does not have; nobody expects you to nail it. The attempt itself is the gift.