You won't need more than a handful of phrases β most people in the medina switch easily to French, and many speak some English too. But a little Darija (Moroccan Arabic) goes a long way, and it usually gets a smile in return.
Bargaining is normal and expected in the souks β it's part of the interaction, not a confrontation. A friendly, unhurried back-and-forth usually gets further than a hard opening low-ball.
Good to know: Darija is a spoken dialect first β spelling in Latin letters varies a lot from one guide to another (you'll also see it written with numbers standing in for Arabic sounds, like "3" or "7"). Don't worry about getting it exactly right; the effort is what lands.
Continue exploring the local guide