Arabic wedding wishes in Tunisian: mabrouk and how to reply

You are invited to a Tunisian wedding — maybe your partner’s family, maybe your cousins back home — and you want to say the right thing. Here are the Arabic wedding wishes you will actually hear in Tunisia, in derja (Tunisian Arabic) and classical Arabic, with how to pronounce them and what they mean. And, since people will say them to you too: how to reply to “mabrouk”.

What people say on the night

• مبروك — *mabrouk* — congratulations. The basic word, said to everyone.
• ألف مبروك — *alf mabrouk* — a thousand congratulations. The warm version.
• مبروك عليكم — *mabrouk 3likom* — congratulations to you all: to the couple or the whole family.
• ربي يتمّم بالخير — *rabbi ytammem bel khir* — may God bring it all to a good end. Said during the preparations, the engagement or the henna.
• بالرفاء والبنين — *bir-rafa’ wal-banin* — harmony and children: the classic blessing printed on cards.

To the parents, and to single guests

Tunisians congratulate the parents as much as the couple: it is their celebration too. Say “ربي يفرّحكم بيهم” — *rabbi yfarra7kom bihom*, may God give you joy through them — and of the couple, “يتهنّاو” — *yethannew*, may they be happy. To single guests, the classic, often with a wink, is “العاقبة ليكم” — *el 3a9ba likom*, may it be your turn soon.

How to reply to “mabrouk”

• الله يبارك فيك — *allah ybarek fik* — God bless you. Works with everyone.
• العاقبة ليك — *el 3a9ba lik* — your turn next: to a single person.
• يعيشك — *y3aychek* — the everyday Tunisian “thank you”.

Short messages to send

• “ألف مبروك أحمد وأميرة، ربي يتمّم عليكم بالخير.” — Many congratulations, Ahmed and Amira, may God bring everything to a good end.
• “مبروك يا عروسة! ربي يسعدك.” — Congratulations, bride! May God make you happy.
• “بالرفاء والبنين.” — Harmony and children: short, classic, perfect on a card.

A blessing for the couple

For a religious wish, a very common one is the blessing reported by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi, which the Prophet said to the groom: “بارك الله لك وبارك عليك وجمع بينكما في خير” — may God bless you, shower His blessings upon you and unite you both in goodness. It is often put in the dual to address both spouses: “بارك الله لكما وبارك عليكما وجمع بينكما في خير”. Many practising families prefer it to “بالرفاء والبنين”, which another hadith discourages as a pre-Islamic formula.

On an invi.tn invitation, guests who confirm their attendance can leave a note for the couple in the same reply; only the couple can read it. And if you are the one writing the invitation, our wording guide will help.