A Writing System Born from Necessity
In the early 2000s, Arabic keyboards were not available on Western mobile phones. Moroccans needed to text in Darija. They improvised. They used numbers to represent Arabic letters that sound nothing like those numbers.
That system became Arabizi. And it is still used today.
The Number to Letter Map
3 = Ayn (ع)
The number 3 represents the letter ayn, a guttural sound from the throat with no English equivalent.
Examples:
- 3lach (why)
- 3la (on/about)
- 3ndi (I have)
7 = Haa (ح)
The number 7 represents a strong H sound, heavier than English H.
Examples:
- 7it (because)
- 7na (we/us)
- 7lem (dream)
9 = Qaf (ق)
The number 9 represents qaf, a deep K sound from the back of the throat.
Examples:
- 9lb (heart)
- 9bel (before)
- 9wa (coffee)
Other Numbers Used
2 = Hamza (ء)
Used in some dialects, not as common in Darija.
8 = Qaf alternative
Sometimes used instead of 9 in certain regions.
4 = Not used in Darija
The number 4 is used in Egyptian Arabic but not Moroccan Darija.
Reading Example
Try reading this sentence:
3lach 7na 9lbna mzyan?
Translation: Why is our heart good?
Why This System Persists
Even with Arabic keyboards available today, Moroccans continue using Arabizi. It is faster. It feels casual. It belongs to online spaces.
Next Lesson
Now that you know the numbers, learn the letter substitutions in part two.