Culture
Iraqi Wedding Traditions: Essential Phrases for Celebrations
ألف مبروك
alf mabrook
A thousand congratulations
How to congratulate the couple
The most common wedding congratulation is ألف مبروك (alf mabrook), 'a thousand congratulations.' You'll hear this dozens of times at any Iraqi wedding. The standard response from the couple is الله يبارك بيك (Allah yubarik beek), 'God bless you.'
ألف مبروك
alf mabrook
A thousand congratulations
الله يبارك بيك
Allah yubarik beek
God bless you (response)
فرصة سعيدة
fursa sa'eeda
Happy occasion / Nice to meet you
Traditional blessings for the couple
Iraqis have beautiful traditional blessings for newlyweds. بالرفاه والبنين (bal-rafah wal-baneen) wishes the couple 'with prosperity and children.' The older generation might say منه المال ومنها العيال (minah al-mal wa minha al-ayal), 'from him wealth, from her children', though this is less common today.
بالرفاه والبنين
bal-rafah wal-baneen
With prosperity and children
شايف خير ومستاهلها
shayif khair w-mustahilha
May you see only good with your spouse
عيني
aini
My dear / Darling
Term of endearment used at celebrations
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