Table of contents
1. Why learn Tamazight? 2. The Tifinagh alphabet and writing systems 3. Basic grammar 4. Greetings and polite expressions 5. Essential vocabulary — 50 words 6. Numbers 7. Useful everyday phrases 8. Berber culture and heritage 9. The Amazigh diaspora 10. Learn Tamazight with Targumi
Why learn Tamazight?
Tamazight (ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ) is the language of the Imazighen (Berbers), the indigenous people of North Africa. With approximately 30 to 40 million speakers spread from Morocco to Egypt, through Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Niger and Mali, Tamazight is one of the oldest languages on the African continent.A millennia-old language
Tamazight has been attested for over 3,000 years through ancient Tifinagh inscriptions found throughout the Sahara. It is one of the few African languages to possess its own writing system, predating both the Latin and Arabic alphabets. The Berbers are the heirs of the ancient Libyans, Numidians and Gaetulians mentioned by Greek and Roman historians.
Main variants
Tamazight comes in several regional variants, all mutually related:
| Variant |
| Speakers |
| --------- |
| ---------- |
| Kabyle (taqbaylit) |
| ~6 million |
| Tachelhit (tacelḥit) |
| ~8 million |
| Tarifit (tarifiyt) |
| ~4 million |
| Central Atlas Tamazight |
| ~5 million |
| Chaouia (tacawit) |
| ~3 million |
| Tuareg (tamahaq/tamashek) |
| ~2 million |
| Mozabite (tumzabt) |
| ~200,000 |
| Letter |
| Letter |
| -------- |
| -------- |
| ⴰ |
| ⵏ |
| ⴱ |
| ⵓ |
| ⴳ |
| ⵔ |
| ⴷ |
| ⵙ |
| ⴻ |
| ⵜ |
| ⴼ |
| ⵡ |
| ⵀ |
| ⵅ |
| ⵉ |
| ⵢ |
| ⵊ |
| ⵣ |
| ⴽ |
| ⵇ |
| ⵍ |
| ⵖ |
| ⵎ |
| ⵛ |
| Theme |
| Example (ečč = eat) |
| ------- |
| --------------------- |
| Aorist |
| ad yečč |
| Preterite |
| yečča |
| Intensive |
| itett |
| Imperative |
| ečč! |
| English |
| Pronunciation |
| --------- |
| --------------- |
| Hello |
| a-zool fell-a-wen |
| How are you? |
| a-mek tet-ti-lidh |
| Fine, thank you |
| l-hem-doo-lah, la-bass |
| Thank you |
| ta-nem-mirt |
| Please |
| t-khil-ek |
| Goodbye |
| ar too-fat |
| Welcome |
| an-soof yis-wen |
| Yes |
| ih |
| No |
| a-la |
| Peace |
| tal-wit |
| English |
| Pronunciation |
| --------- |
| --------------- |
| Water |
| a-man |
| Bread |
| a-ghroom |
| House |
| a-kham |
| Family |
| ta-wa-choolt |
| Mother |
| yem-ma |
| Father |
| ba-ba |
| Child |
| aq-chich |
| Brother |
| g-ma |
| Sister |
| oolt-ma |
| Friend |
| a-med-da-kool |
| Love |
| tay-ri |
| Money |
| id-ri-men |
| Work |
| a-khed-dim |
| School |
| a-gher-baz |
| Mountain |
| ad-rar |
| Sea |
| leb-her |
| Earth |
| a-kal |
| Sun |
| i-tij |
| Moon |
| ay-yoor |
| Star |
| it-ri |
| Rain |
| a-guef-foor |
| Tree |
| a-sek-loo |
| Olive tree |
| ta-zem-moort |
| Fig tree |
| ta-neq-qalt |
| Day |
| ass |
| Night |
| idh |
| Big |
| a-meq-ran |
| Small |
| a-mech-tooh |
| Good |
| i-ger-rez |
| Bad |
| dir |
| Beautiful |
| ih-la |
| Eat |
| etch |
| Drink |
| soo |
| Sleep |
| tess |
| Go |
| rooh |
| Come |
| ass-ed |
| Speak |
| mes-lay |
| See |
| dzer |
| Hear |
| sel |
| Know |
| iss-en |
| Want |
| b-ghoo |
| Man |
| ar-gaz |
| Woman |
| ta-met-toot |
| King |
| a-guel-lid |
| Lion |
| i-zem |
| Couscous |
| sek-soo |
| Olive oil |
| zzit |
| Celebration |
| ta-megh-ra |
| Village |
| tad-dart |
| Freedom |
| ti-lel-li |
| Number |
| Pronunciation |
| -------- |
| --------------- |
| 1 |
| yi-wen / yi-wet |
| 2 |
| sin / snat |
| 3 |
| tla-ta |
| 4 |
| reb-aa |
| 5 |
| khem-sa |
| 6 |
| set-ta |
| 7 |
| seb-aa |
| 8 |
| tma-nya |
| 9 |
| tes-aa |
| 10 |
| ech-ra |
| 20 |
| ech-rin |
| 100 |
| mya |
| 1000 |
| a-gim |
| English |
| --------- |
| What is your name? |
| My name is... |
| Where are you from? |
| I come from England |
| I don't understand |
| Speak slowly |
| How much does it cost? |
| It's too expensive |
| I'm learning Kabyle |
| You speak Kabyle well! |
| I love you |
| Help me please |
| Enjoy your meal |
| Congratulations |
Berber culture and heritage
Yennayer — the Amazigh New Year
Yennayer (12-13 January) is the Berber New Year, celebrated for millennia. The Amazigh calendar is one of the oldest in the world; 2026 corresponds to the year 2976 in the Amazigh calendar. This festival is now an official public holiday in Algeria (since 2018) and recognised in Morocco. Families prepare a festive meal, notably a special couscous.Oral literature
The Amazigh oral heritage is immensely rich:
Berber craftsmanship
Amazigh carpets, silver jewellery, Kabyle pottery and traditional tattoos are globally recognised art forms. Each geometric motif tells a story and carries symbolism.Amazigh music
From traditional music to Amazigh rock and Kabyle rap, the music scene is thriving. Artists such as Idir, Lounès Matoub, Tinariwen (Tuareg) and Souad Massi have brought the Berber language to the international stage.
The Amazigh diaspora
In France — the largest diaspora
France is home to the largest Amazigh community outside North Africa, estimated at several million people. Kabylie is the primary region of origin, followed by the Moroccan Souss and the Rif.
For diaspora children, learning Tamazight is an act of identity reclamation — rediscovering the language of their parents and grandparents, understanding their grandmother's proverbs, singing the songs of their childhood.
In Belgium, the Netherlands, and Canada
Large Riffian communities live in the Netherlands and Belgium. Canada (Montreal) also has a growing Kabyle diaspora.
Learn Tamazight with Targumi
On Targumi, we offer a complete method to learn Tamazight:
Tamazight is more than a language: it is a link to one of the oldest civilisations of the Mediterranean. Every word you learn is a step towards reclaiming this millennia-old heritage.
Tanemmirt! (Thank you!)---
Article written by Yidir Ameziane, certified Tamazight teacher and Targumi collaborator. At Targumi, we make learning Tamazight accessible to everyone.