If you travel to Morocco, there is an expression youll likely hear from the very start: You are welcome! Spoken with a smile and repeated several times during a single visit, this phrase is much more than a simple gesture of politeness. It reflects a deeply rooted value in Moroccan culture: hospitality.
The Art of Welcoming, an Ancient Tradition
In Morocco, welcoming a guest is a true pleasure and honor. Whether it’s a family member, a neighbor, or a traveler met for the first time, each person is received with special attention.
Guests are never considered simply as visitors. They are welcomed as individuals whom one wishes to make comfortable, feed, and make feel at home.
This tradition is passed down through generations, in bustling medinas as well as in the Berber villages of the Atlas or the rural areas of the Essaouira region.
An Expression Originating from the Arabic Language
In Darija, the Moroccan Arabic, several expressions are used to extend a welcome:
Marhba bik (مرحبا بك): Welcome to you.
Marhba bikoum (مرحبا بكم): Welcome to all of you.
When Moroccans speak French, they often translate these expressions to “Soyez les bienvenus” (“You are welcome”). This phrase, sometimes surprising to French speakers, retains all the warmth and generosity of the original expression.
Hospitality Experienced Daily
In Morocco, welcoming goes beyond merely opening a door. You’ll almost always be invited to share a glass of mint tea, some Moroccan pastries, or a meal, even if your visit was unexpected.
Its not uncommon to hear You are welcome! several times during the same encounter: when entering the house, when sitting around the table, when the tea or meal is served... each repetition expresses the same desire: that you feel anticipated, respected, and perfectly at ease.
Hospitality Reflected in Moroccan Cuisine
Moroccan cuisine is intimately tied to this culture of sharing. A tagine is placed in the center of the table to be enjoyed together. The Friday couscous traditionally gathers the whole family. Bread, ever-present, is used to share the meal in a single dish, a symbol of conviviality and generosity.
Receiving, cooking, and sharing are inseparable. The meal is not solely for nourishing the body; it is also a special moment of exchange, transmission, and connection between generations.
What We Wish to Share with You
During our cooking class near Essaouira, our goal is not merely to teach you how to prepare a tagine or Berber bread. We are committed to revealing that Moroccan way of welcoming, where every guest is received with simplicity, authenticity, and kindness.
Around a mint tea, preparing recipes together, or sharing the meal, you will discover that Moroccan hospitality is not something you learn from books: it is something you experience.
So, if you ever cross our threshold, do not be surprised to hear these words as soon as you enter... You are welcome! For in Morocco, this expression is not just a ready-made phrase. It is a promise: to be welcomed as a guest but to leave with the feeling of having been received as a member of the family.
Cook. Share. Taste. Live Morocco.