Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. Each entry shows the Berber (Tamazight) spelling, the English meaning, and a respelling with the stressed syllable in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
First words Greet someone and be polite
Azul Hello Tanemmirt Thank you Ma ulac aâwan Please Ar tufat Goodbye Ih Yes Uhu No Ihwa Good Ansuf Welcome Meeting people Introduce yourself and ask how someone is
Min ism-ik? What is your name? Ism-inu Amara My name is Amara Amek tellid? How are you? Labas I am fine Amddakel Friend Aman Water Axxam House Aghrum Bread Counting Numbers and market basics
Yan One Sin Two Krad Three Kkuz Four Smmus Five Minshk aysker? How much is it? Ssuq Market Aman Water Idrimen Money Questions people ask about Berber (Tamazight) Is Berber (Tamazight) hard to learn? Tifinagh is a distinct script with its own letterforms. Varieties such as Tachelhit, Kabyle and Tarifit differ substantially. Roots are consonant-based, similar in feel to Semitic languages. Where is Berber (Tamazight) spoken? Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Niger — around 30 million across its varieties. Writing system: Tifinagh, plus Latin and Arabic scripts.
Can I learn Berber (Tamazight) for free? Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.