How to say hello in Morocco
Salam carries you anywhere, and the greeting usually goes on longer than you expect. Here are the words, the replies and the rhythm behind them.
One word gets you through your first minute anywhere in Morocco: salam. It works at the bakery, in a taxi and at a teacher's table, and nobody will ask where you learned it.
The greetings you will hear
- salam, or the full as-salamu alaykum: hello, at any hour, to anyone.
- wa alaykum as-salam: the reply you give when someone greets you first.
- sbah l-khir: good morning. msa l-khir: good evening.
- labas?: are you well? Also the answer: labas, thanks.
- ahlan or mrhba: welcome, warmer, often with a hand on the heart.
A hello is a round, not a word
Moroccan greetings come in rounds. You ask how someone is, they ask back, you ask about the family, they ask about your health, and the same two or three questions circle for half a minute. Nobody is waiting for news. The round itself is the point, and cutting it short reads as cold.
You do not need new vocabulary to join in. Labas, al hamdulillah and a smile cover almost every turn. Say them in the same rhythm you hear them and you are already inside the conversation.
What your hands do
A handshake, then your right hand briefly to your chest. Between friends and relatives of the same gender, a kiss on each cheek is normal. Between men and women it depends on the two people, so follow the hand that is offered and keep yours to your heart otherwise.
And when you leave
- shukran: thank you.
- bslama: goodbye, go in peace.
- thalla f rask: take care of yourself, warm and very Moroccan.
Practise the three greetings out loud today, then use them tomorrow. Five minutes is enough to make them automatic, and a teacher will pick them up with you from there.