How do Moroccans give compliments and express gratitude?

Compliments in Morocco are warm and abundant, but they rarely come bare — they are wrapped in a blessing. You will hear "Zwin!" or "Zwina!" (beautiful, lovely) and almost always "mashallah" or "tbarkallah" alongside, so the admiration carries goodwill and wards off the evil eye. To praise a meal you might say "Bnin bezaf" (very delicious); to praise someone's effort, "Tbarkallah 3lik" (God bless you / well done).

Gratitude is just as layered. The everyday word is "Shukran" (thank you), often warmed to "Shukran bezaf" (thank you very much). But the phrase Moroccans love most is "Allah y3tik saha" — may God give you health — said to anyone who has served or helped you: the cook, the driver, the artisan. The reply is "Allah y3afik" (God keep you well). These exchanges turn a simple thanks into a small mutual blessing.

There is real art to it. A heartfelt compliment to a host's cooking, ending with "Allah y3tik saha," can mean more than any tip. The first time I watched a quiet guest thank a riad cook with "shukran bezaf, Allah y3tik saha," the cook came out of the kitchen to shake her hand — those words told her the meal had been truly received, not just eaten. Sincerity and a blessing together are the whole secret.

The value underneath is generosity of spirit and the habit of folding God's goodwill into everyday kindness. Compliments should bless, not just flatter; thanks should wish the other person well. As a traveller, praise freely with "zwin, mashallah," thank with "shukran bezaf" and "Allah y3tik saha," and you will find Moroccans returning your warmth tenfold — gratitude here is a two-way blessing, not a transaction.