Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| مُبَارَك | mubārak |
| مَبْرُوك | mabrūk |
These words are used to express approbation. You can increase the intensity of your congratulations by saying Alf mabrook, which translates to 'a thousand congratulations'. For a friendly and intimate way to congratulate someone, you can use the pattern Mabrook ya [name].
Which one should you use?
The form مُبَارَك is considered more grammatically correct and is used in formal contexts or standard Arabic. In contrast, مَبْرُوك is the most common way to say congratulations in daily spoken Arabic.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Gulf countries, people may say Mabrook alaik to add more emphasis and specificity to the person being congratulated.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'congratulations to you' (to a male), you add the preposition 'laka' to the end of the word to form مُبَارَك لَكَ.
How do you pronounce it?
mubārak
What mistakes should you avoid?
The form مَبْرُوك is the most common way to say congratulations in daily spoken Arabic, though some purists consider it grammatically incorrect.
When do people say it?
A common response to receiving congratulations is الله يبارك فيك, which means 'May God bless you'.
Did you know?
- While مَبْرُوك is the most common way to congratulate someone, some traditionalists argue it is wrong because the word's root refers to a camel kneeling down, not to a blessing.
- In some regions, people may respond to Mabrook by saying Aqbalak, which means 'may the same happen to you', effectively passing the celebration to the speaker.
- Arabic has a specific concept of 'Barakah' (blessing) that underpins both words, implying that the success being congratulated is a gift from the divine rather than just personal effort.
Examples in context
- مُبَارَكٌ عَلَى النَّجَاحِ.mubārakun ‘ala an-najāḥ.Congratulations on the success.
- مُبَارَكٌ لَكَ الْعَمَلُ الْجَدِيدُ.mubārakun laka al-‘amalu al-jadīdu.Congratulations on your new job.
Example conversation
Yousef is greeting Sarah after she finished her degree.
- يوسف Youssefمُبَارَكٌ عَلَى التَّخَرُّجِ يَا سَارَةُ.mubārakun ‘ala at-takharruji yā Sāratu.Congratulations on graduating, Sarah.
- سارة Saraشُكْرًا جَزِيلًا يَا يُوسُفُ.shukran jazīlan yā Yūsufu.Thank you very much, Yousef.
- يوسف Youssefأَنْتِ تَسْتَحِقِّينَ هَذَا.anti tastahiqqīna hādhā.You deserve this.
- سارة Saraهَذَا لُطْفٌ مِنْكَ.hādhā luṭfun minka.That is kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
