Learn Tamazight: which Berber language should you learn?

Tamazight is the name of the Berber (Amazigh) languages of North Africa, and in Morocco also the name of the standard official language. In practice you learn one spoken variety: Kabyle or Chaoui if your family comes from Algeria, Tarifit or Tachelhit (Shilha) if it comes from the Rif or the south-west of Morocco. Duolingo teaches none of them; Dialect teaches all four from English, each one recorded by a native speaker.

You want to learn Berber — to understand your grandparents, to answer your aunts in their language, or to hold on to something your family did not pass down. The first surprise is that there is no single “Berber” to learn. This guide explains what the names mean, how to pick the right variety, and how to start.

Tamazight, Amazigh, Berber: what do the names mean?

Berber is the old outside name, still the most common in English. Amazigh is the name the people use for themselves, and many prefer it. Tamazight is the name of the language. So when you search to learn Amazigh, learn Berber or learn Tamazight, you are looking for the same family of languages.

In Morocco the word has two more meanings. It is the name of the standard Amazigh taught in schools and used by the state, and it is also what people call the Berber spoken in the Middle Atlas. In Algeria, people usually name their own variety: Kabyle, Chaoui, Mozabite and others.

The result for a learner: a family conversation is never held in “Tamazight” in general. It is held in Kabyle, in Tarifit, in Tachelhit, in Chaoui. That is the language to learn.

Which Berber language should you learn? Start from your family's region

The simplest rule is also the best one: learn the variety your family speaks. If you are not sure, ask where your grandparents grew up, then find the region below.

If your family has roots in two regions, start with the variety you hear most at home. The grammar of Berber languages is close enough that a second one comes much faster than the first.

If you have no family link and simply want to learn Berber, Kabyle has the most learning material, and Tachelhit has the most speakers in Morocco.

Can a Kabyle speaker understand Tachelhit?

Partly. The four languages share their grammar and part of their everyday vocabulary, so a speaker of one recognises a lot in another, but sounds and many common words differ, and fast speech is hard to follow without practice. One word from our courses, spelled as each course writes it:

“Water” is the same word in all four, but many everyday words, and even greetings, change from one region to the next. That is why a course in your family's variety, with a speaker from the region, matters more than a general “Berber” course.

Tifinagh or the Latin alphabet?

Tifinagh is the Berber script. In Morocco it is the official script for Amazigh and you see it on road signs and public buildings; in Algeria it appears on some signs and in cultural life. But most people write their language every day in Latin letters, and Kabyle in particular has a long written tradition in the Berber Latin alphabet.

For a beginner the advice is simple: learn to speak first, in Latin letters, then learn Tifinagh for reading signs and for its cultural weight. Dialect writes its four Berber courses in Latin letters, with a few extra letters for sounds English does not have. If you read French, our guide to the Tifinagh alphabet has a chart of the letters you can download.

Can you learn Berber on Duolingo?

No. Duolingo offers no Berber language, and neither do Babbel or Rosetta Stone. Learners rely on tutors, community associations, songs and a few specialised apps. When you compare apps, check two things: that the course teaches your variety rather than a mix, and that the audio is recorded by real speakers from the region.

Learn Amazigh with Dialect: four courses

Each course teaches the everyday words and sentences of one variety, recorded by a native speaker, with short sessions and spaced repetition so the words stay. Dialect is free to start, on iPhone, iPad and Android, and in the browser on computers.

• Learn Kabyle — northern Algeria. See also how to learn Kabyle and the best app to learn Kabyle.
• Learn Tarifit (Rifian) — the Rif, northern Morocco. See the best app to learn Tarifit.
• Learn Tachelhit (Shilha) — the Souss and the south-west of Morocco. See the best app to learn Tachelhit.
• Learn Chaoui — the Aurès, eastern Algeria. See also how to learn Chaoui and the best app to learn Chaoui.

Central Atlas Tamazight and the Tuareg languages are not on Dialect yet.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tamazight the same as Berber?

Yes and no. Tamazight is the name of the Berber language family, and Berber is the older outside name for it. But the family is made of several languages: Kabyle, Tarifit, Tachelhit, Chaoui and others. You learn one of them.

Which Berber language is easiest to learn?

None is really easier: they share the same grammar and similar sounds. The easiest one for you is the one your family speaks, because you already hear it and can practise it.

Is Tachelhit the same as Shilha?

Yes. Shilha is the older English name of Tachelhit, the Berber language of the Souss and south-western Morocco. More on our Tachelhit page.

Is there an app to learn Tamazight?

Not on Duolingo or Babbel. Dialect teaches four Berber languages from English — Kabyle, Tarifit, Tachelhit and Chaoui — with every word recorded by a native speaker. It is free to start.

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