Taking a taxi
Negotiate the price and give your destination in an Algerian taxi.
You are on the street and you stop a taxi to go to the bus station.
Dialogue
A
You
تاكسي! تاكسي!
Taxi! Taxi!
Taxi! Taxi!
B
The driver
وين رايح خويا؟
Win raye7 khouya?
Where are you going brother?
A
You
للمحطّة من فضلك
Lel ma7atta men fadlek
To the bus station please.
B
The driver
أنا ما نروحش لتمّا، بعيدة بزاف
Ana ma nrou7ch ltamma, b3ida bezzaf
I don't go there, it's too far.
A
You
شحال تدي؟ نزيدلك شوية
ch7al tadi? nzidlek chwiyya
How much do you charge? I'll add a little extra.
B
The driver
خمسين ألف
Khamsin alf
Fifty thousand (500 DA).
A
You
بزاف! تلاتين ألف و خلاص
Bezzaf! Tlatin alf w khalas
That's too much! Thirty thousand (300 DA) and that's it.
B
The driver
أربعين ألف و نوصّلك
Arb3in alf w nwasslek
Forty thousand (400 DA) and I'll take you.
A
You
يلاه، نركب
yallah, nerkeb
Alright, deal, I'm getting in.
A
You
حبّس هنا، يرحم والديك
habbes hna, yerham walidik
Stop here please.
A
You
تفضّل، يعطيك الصحّة
Tfaddel, ya3tik es‑sa77a
Here you go, thank you.
Useful Phrases
Destination
وصّلني لـ...
Wasselni l...
Take me to...
رايح لـ...
Raye7 l...
I'm going to...
بعيدة ولا قريبة؟
B3ida wella 9riba?
Is it far or close?
Négocier
شحال تاخذ؟
Ch7al takhod?
How much do you charge?
غالي بزاف!
Ghali bezzaf!
It's too expensive!
نقّصلي شويّة
Na99esli chwiyya
Lower the price a bit for me
En route
دور على اليمين
Dour 3la el ymin
Turn right
دور على اليسار
Dour 3la el ysar
Turn left
روح نيشان
Rou7 nichan
Go straight
وقّف هنا
Wa99ef hna
Stop here
Exercises
1
How do you ask 'Where are you going?' in Algerian?
2
What does 'ghali bezzaf' mean?
3
How do you say 'Turn right'?
4
Translate to phonetic: 'Stop here' = ?