Riffian
The Berber variety of the Rif region in northern Morocco. Heavily distinct from other Tamazight varieties in phonology, including a strong final-vowel reduction.
Central Atlas Tamazight
Also known as: Tamazight, Beraber
The Berber variety of the Middle Atlas mountains in central Morocco. Roughly 2.5 million speakers; the basis of much of the standardised Moroccan Tamazight taught in schools.
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Central Atlas Tamazight?
Central Atlas Tamazight is a dialect of the Tamazight language.
Where is Central Atlas Tamazight spoken?
Central Atlas Tamazight is primarily spoken in Morocco.
Which region is Central Atlas Tamazight associated with?
Central Atlas Tamazight is part of the North Africa region on DialectAtlas.
Is Central Atlas Tamazight known by other names?
Yes — Central Atlas Tamazight is also referred to as Tamazight, Beraber.
What are the other dialects of Tamazight?
Tamazight also includes Tarifit, Tashelhit, Kabyle, Tamasheq, Siwi, Nafusi. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Tamazight dialects
See on the atlas →Shilha · Soussian Berber
The Berber variety of the southern Atlas and Souss valley in Morocco. The most numerous Tamazight variety, with a literary tradition going back centuries.
Taqbaylit
The Berber variety of the Kabylie region in northern Algeria. The most documented and standardised Algerian Tamazight, with a strong written literary tradition.
Tuareg Berber
The Berber variety of the Tuareg confederations across the central Sahara. Written historically in the Tifinagh script, which Tuareg communities have preserved continuously.
Siwa Berber
The easternmost surviving Berber language, spoken in the Siwa Oasis of western Egypt. Heavily restructured by Arabic contact; the only Tamazight variety inside Egypt.
Nafusi Berber · Jebel Nafusa
The Berber variety of the Nafusa mountains in north-western Libya. Around 200,000 speakers; one of the few surviving Berber languages inside Libya.
Nearby dialects
See on the atlas →192 km away
The Maghrebi Arabic of Morocco, with heavy Berber substrate and substantial French and Spanish loanwords. Distinct enough from Mashreqi Arabic to function as a separate everyday language.
298 km away
The Berber variety of the Rif region in northern Morocco. Heavily distinct from other Tamazight varieties in phonology, including a strong final-vowel reduction.
464 km away
The Berber variety of the southern Atlas and Souss valley in Morocco. The most numerous Tamazight variety, with a literary tradition going back centuries.
497 km away
The Iberian para-Romani variety spoken by the Calé (Gitanos) of Spain and, in related forms, Portugal and southern France. A Romani-derived lexicon is embedded in a Castilian (or Catalan/Portuguese) grammatical frame; the older inflected Iberian Romani is no longer spoken. Caló vocabulary has left a marked imprint on Andalusian Spanish and flamenco.
497 km away
The Spanish of southern Spain, marked by aspiration of /s/, the loss of final consonants, and a strong influence on the formation of Latin American varieties via the Atlantic ports.
716 km away
The standard variety of Portugal, centred on Lisbon. Distinguished from Brazilian Portuguese by reduced unstressed vowels and a denser consonant cluster system.