NATION
How to pronounce
Morocco
muh·RAH·koh
Native [al.maɣ.rib] → American /məˈrɑː.koʊ/
Sound by sound
3 little beats. BIG = the stressed part.
- muh the relaxed ‘uh’ in sofa
- RAH the ‘ah’ in father — say this beat loudest
- koh the ‘oh’ in go
Talking about Morocco
The words that trip people up — what to call the team, the people, and the language.
- One person
- a Moroccan
- The people / the team
- Moroccans (the team: the Atlas Lions)
- As an adjective
- Moroccan
- The language
- Arabic
Moroccans mostly speak Arabic (the local form is called Darija) alongside Berber/Amazigh, with French widely used in business; there is no “Moroccan” language. The team is nicknamed the Atlas Lions, after the Atlas Mountains.
Like a local vs like an American
Don’t say…
- MOH-roh-koh
- muh-ROH-koh
- mor-OK-oh
- muh·RAH·koh — stress on RAH
Where the name comes from
In English the country is named after the city of Marrakesh — via Spanish Marruecos — once the imperial capital, whose own name comes from the Berber amur (n) Akush, “land of God”. Moroccans don’t call it Morocco at all: in Arabic it’s al-Maghrib (المغرب), “the West”, literally the place where the sun sets.
- Capital
- Rabat
- Confederation
- CAF
- World Cup best
- 4th place, 2022 (first African and Arab nation to reach the semifinals)
Hear it for real
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Practice in the appFAQ
How do you pronounce Morocco?
Morocco is pronounced muh·RAH·koh in American English — 3 beats, with the stress on RAH.
Where does the name Morocco come from?
In English the country is named after the city of Marrakesh — via Spanish <em>Marruecos</em> — once the imperial capital, whose own name comes from the Berber <em>amur (n) Akush</em>, “land of God”. Moroccans don’t call it Morocco at all: in Arabic it’s <em>al-Maghrib</em> (المغرب), “the West”, literally the place where the sun sets.
Where does the name “Morocco” come from?
From the city of Marrakesh, a former capital, by way of Spanish “Marruecos”. The country’s own Arabic name is completely different — al-Maghrib, “the West” — so the English and native names don’t resemble each other at all.
What do you call the Moroccan national team?
In English, “Morocco” or “the Moroccans”. The team’s nickname is the Atlas Lions, and in 2022 they became the first African or Arab nation ever to reach a World Cup semifinal.