Ways to say it
| Moroccan Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لا شكرا | la shukran | |
| لالا، بارك الله فيك | lala, barak llahu fik | more polite decline |
For a warmer, more polite decline, especially when refusing food or a kind offer, Moroccans say لالا، بارك الله فيك (lala, barak llahu fik), 'no no, God bless you'.
What does it mean word for word?
لا شكرا simply joins لا, 'no', with شكرا, 'thank you'. بارك الله فيك means 'may God bless you', softening the refusal with a blessing.
Which one should you use?
لا شكرا is a quick, neutral decline, fine for small things like extra food at a shop. لالا، بارك الله فيك is better for a host's insistence, where a bare 'no' could seem abrupt.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are polite. The blessing-softened version feels warmer and is especially useful with elders or a generous host.
Is it said differently in some regions?
These phrases are used across Morocco, and the doubled لالا for emphasis is a common Darija habit, not limited to this one phrase.
How does it change in a sentence?
Neither phrase changes for gender or number, since they stand as fixed expressions regardless of who is speaking or listening.
How do you pronounce it?
لالا doubles the word for 'no' quickly, 'LA-la', often said with a small wave of the hand.
What mistakes should you avoid?
A flat, single لا without any softening can come across as blunt, especially when declining food offered by a host. Adding شكرا or a blessing is expected.
When do people say it?
In Morocco, hosts often insist multiple times after a first polite refusal, a custom sometimes called the 'triple offer', so a guest may need to repeat لا شكرا more than once before it is accepted.
Did you know?
- Moroccan hosts commonly offer food two or three times even after a first polite refusal, so a single لا شكرا is often not the end of the exchange.
- Doubling words like لا into لالا for emphasis is a frequent feature of spoken Darija, not unique to refusals.
Examples in context
- لا شكرا، شبعت بزاف.la shukran, shbaat bzzaf.No thank you, I am very full.
- لالا، بارك الله فيك، ما خاصني شي حاجة أخرى.lala, barak llahu fik, ma khassni shi hajja khra.No no, bless you, I do not need anything else.
- لا شكرا، غادي نمشي دابا.la shukran, ghadi nmshi daba.No thank you, I am about to leave now.
Example conversation
Host Khadija offers her guest Anas more food at dinner.
- Khadijaزيد شوية، مازال باقي.zid shwiya, mazal baqi.Have a bit more, there's still some left.
- Anasلا شكرا، شبعت بزاف الحمد لله.la shukran, shbaat bzzaf l-hamdulillah.No thank you, I am very full, thank God.
- Khadijaزيد غير شوية صغيرة.zid ghir shwiya sghira.Just have a tiny bit more.
- Anasلالا، بارك الله فيك، كان بنين بزاف.lala, barak llahu fik, kan bnin bzzaf.No no, bless you, it was very delicious.
