Ways to say it
| Algerian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مرحبا بيك | marhba bik | to a man, welcoming a guest |
| مرحبا بيكي | marhba biki | to a woman |
| بلا مزية | bla mziya | reply to 'thank you' |
To a woman, say مرحبا بيكي (marhba biki). When 'welcome' means 'you are welcome' in reply to thanks, Algerians say بلا مزية (bla mziya) or ماكاش مشكل, 'no problem'.
What does it mean word for word?
مرحبا comes from the root for welcoming a guest, and بيك/بيكي means 'with you'. بلا مزية joins بلا, 'without', and مزية, 'favor'.
Which one should you use?
مرحبا بيك greets someone arriving at your home or shop. بلا مزية answers a 'thank you' and is never used to greet a guest.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both phrases are polite and can be used with strangers, elders or close friends alike.
Is it said differently in some regions?
مرحبا is shared across the Arab world, while بلا مزية as a reply to thanks is especially common in Algeria and Tunisia.
How does it change in a sentence?
بيك changes to بيكي for a woman and بيكم for a group: مرحبا بيكم.
How do you pronounce it?
مرحبا stresses the middle syllable, 'mar-HBA', with the h said softly.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using بلا مزية to greet an arriving guest sounds strange, since it only answers thanks. Use مرحبا بيك for that instead.
When do people say it?
Welcoming a guest in Algeria often comes with an offer of coffee or tea, since hospitality is treated as a point of pride.
Did you know?
- Telling a guest راك في دارك, 'you are in your own home', is a common Algerian way to make a visitor feel fully welcome.
- بلا مزية and ماكاش مشكل are interchangeable replies to thanks across Algeria, chosen mostly by personal habit.
Examples in context
- شكرا بزاف! بلا مزية.shukran bezzaf! bla mziya.Thank you so much! You are welcome.
- مرحبا بيكم في الدار.marhba bikom fi ddar.Welcome to our home, everyone.
Example conversation
Souad welcomes her friend Hichem into her home for the first time.
- Souadمرحبا بيك، أدخل.marhba bik, adkhol.Welcome, come in.
- Hichemشكرا بزاف على الدعوة.shukran bezzaf 3la dda3wa.Thank you very much for the invitation.
- Souadبلا مزية، راك في دارك.bla mziya, rak fi darek.You are welcome, you are at home here.
- Hichemربي يحفظك.rabi yahfadek.God protect you.
