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.
Tarifit
Also known as: 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What language is Tarifit?
Tarifit is a dialect of the Tamazight language.
Where is Tarifit spoken?
Tarifit is primarily spoken in Morocco.
Which region is Tarifit associated with?
Tarifit is part of the North Africa region on DialectAtlas.
Is Tarifit known by other names?
Yes — Tarifit is also referred to as Riffian.
What are the other dialects of Tamazight?
Tamazight also includes Tashelhit, Kabyle, Tamasheq, Central Atlas Tamazight, Siwi, Nafusi. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.
Other Tamazight dialects
See on the atlas →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.
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.
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 →298 km away
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.
308 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.
308 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.
381 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.
583 km away
The standard variety of Spain, centred on Madrid and the historical kingdom of Castile. Distinguished from American varieties by the distinción between /θ/ and /s/.
608 km away
The standard variety of Portugal, centred on Lisbon. Distinguished from Brazilian Portuguese by reduced unstressed vowels and a denser consonant cluster system.