Written by Dania Ghraoui, a translator and language teacher with 10 years of experience.
At A Glance: A common way to say “Congratulations on your engagement” is مَبْرُوك الخطوبَة (mabrūk al-khuṭūbah). The guide includes short and heartfelt wishes, formal messages, duas, captions, replies, and engagement vocabulary.
Someone just got engaged, and you want to say or write more than a simple “Mabrook.” You might need a short Arabic message for WhatsApp, a warm Instagram caption, or a respectful wish for a relative or colleague.
The tricky part is choosing an Arabic phrase that sounds natural rather than translated word for word.
This guide gives you engagement wishes in Arabic for different tones and situations, with pronunciation and meanings, so you can quickly find the message that fits the couple and the moment.
How Do You Say Congratulations on Your Engagement in Arabic?
The most direct phrase is mabrūk al-khuṭūbah, meaning “Congratulations on your engagement.” It works in a spoken message, a card, or a social post. To congratulate both people more clearly, add lakumā, the Arabic word for “to you both.” Formal cards and announcements may use tahānīnā, “our congratulations,” instead of mabrūk.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Congratulations on your engagement! |
mabrūk al-khuṭūbah |
مَبْرُوك الخطوبة! |
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A thousand congratulations on your engagement! |
alf mabrūk ʿalā al-khuṭūbah |
أَلْف مَبْرُوك عَلَى الخطوبة! |
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Blessed engagement! |
khuṭūbah mubārakah! |
خُطُوبة مُبَارَكَة! |
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Our congratulations on the occasion of your engagement. |
tahānīnā bi-munāsabati al-khuṭūbah |
تَهَانِينَا بِمُنَاسَبَةِ الخُطُوبَة. |
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Blessed marriage contract! |
ʿaqd qirān mubārak |
عَقد قِران مُبَارَك |
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In some Arabic-speaking cultures, the marriage contract (ʿaqd al-qirān) is completed before the wedding celebration. Although the couple may still describe themselves as engaged until the wedding, they are legally and religiously married. In that case, it is natural to say ʿaqd qirān mubārak. If they are only engaged and have not yet completed the marriage contract, use khuṭūbah mubārakah or mabrūk al-khuṭūbah instead.
For more ways to use mabrūk, alf mabrūk, and common replies, see ways to say congratulations in Arabic.
Short Engagement Wishes in Arabic
A short message is often enough, especially when the photo, gift, or card already makes the occasion clear. These phrases work well in a WhatsApp message, on a gift tag, as a card heading, or as a social media caption. Some use the Arabic dual form because they address the couple together rather than just one person.
| Use Note | Register | Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Best for friends, relatives, and close acquaintances. |
Warm colloquial |
May God grant you success and happiness. |
rabbena ywaffeʾkum we yisʿedkum |
رَبِّنا يَوفّقكم وِيسعِدكُم |
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A common engagement wish expresses the hope that the wedding comes soon. |
Very colloquial |
Wishing you the bigger celebration soon. (The Wedding) |
ʿuʾbāl il-farḥa il-kbīra |
عُقبَال الفَرحَة الكِبِيرة |
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Very natural for engagements; wishes the couple a smooth path ahead. |
Warm colloquial / religious |
May God bring it to completion in goodness, God willing. |
rabbena yitammim bi-khayr in shāʾ Allāh |
رَبِّنا يِتمم بِخير إِن شَاء الله |
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Good for cards, polished messages, or respectful written wishes. |
Formal / heartfelt |
I am happy for you both from the bottom of my heart. |
fariḥtu lakumā min qalbī |
فَرِحْتُ لَكُمَا مِنْ قَلْبِي. |
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Good for texts, comments, captions, and casual cards. |
Neutral / semi-formal |
Wonderful news! A thousand congratulations. |
khabarun rāʾiʿ! Alf mabrūk |
خَبَرٌ رَائِعٌ! ألف مَبْرُوك. |
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Best for written wishes and respectful congratulations. |
Formal / elegant |
I wish you both happiness. |
atamannā lakumā as-saʿādah |
أَتَمَنَّى لَكُمَا السَّعَادَة. |
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Good for captions, cards, and romantic celebratory wording. |
Polished / poetic |
Warmest congratulations to the loveliest couple. |
ajmalu at-tahānī li-ajmali thunāʾiyy |
أَجْمَلُ التَّهَانِي لِأَجْمَلِ ثُنَائِي. |
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Engagement Wishes for a Daughter, Son, or Friend
Arabic greetings change slightly depending on who receives the message. Endings such as -ki address one woman, -ka addresses one man, and -kumā addresses two people together. The following expressions are formal and elegant wishes for specific relationships.
Engagement Wishes for a Daughter or Sister
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Dear daughter, your happiness today has filled my heart with joy. Congratulations on your engagement. |
yā ibnatī, farḥatuki al-yawma asʿadat qalbī. mabrūk al-khuṭūbah |
ابْنَتِي الغَالِية، فَرْحَتُكِ اليَوْمَ أَسْعَدَتْ قَلْبِي. مَبْرُوك الخُطُوبَة. |
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Engagement Wishes for a Son or Brother
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Dear son, congratulations to you and your fiancée. We wish you both happiness. |
yā ibnī, mabrūk laka wa-li-khaṭībatika. natamannā lakumā as-saʿādah |
ابْنِي الغَالي، مَبْرُوك لَكَ وَلِخَطِيبَتِكَ. نَتَمَنَّى لَكُمَا السَّعَادَة. |
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Engagement Wishes for a Friend
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Congratulations, my friend. I was so happy to hear about your engagement. (to a woman) |
mabrūk yā ṣadīqatī, saʿidtu kathīran bi-khabari khuṭūbatiki |
مَبْرُوك يَا صَدِيقَتِي، سَعِدْتُ كَثِيرًا بِخَبَرِ خطوبَتِكِ. |
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Congratulations, my friend. I wish you and your fiancée every happiness. (to a man) |
mabrūk yā ṣadīqī, atamannā laka wa-li-khaṭībatika kulla as-saʿādah |
مَبْرُوك يَا صَدِيقِي، أَتَمَنَّى لَكَ وَلِخَطِيبَتِكَ كُلَّ السَّعَادَة. |
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Formal Engagement Congratulations in Arabic
Formal Arabic is appropriate for colleagues, teachers, acquaintances, and families you do not know well. These expressions are more polished and complete than a simple mabrūk, making them ideal for cards, public announcements, and respectful messages where a more formal tone is appropriate.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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We extend our sincerest congratulations on your engagement. |
nataqaddamu ilaykumā bi-aṣdaqi at-tahānī bi-munāsabati khuṭūbatukumā |
نَتَقَدَّمُ إِلَيْكُمَا بِأَصْدَقِ التَّهَانِي بِمُنَاسَبَةِ خطوبَتِكُمَا. |
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We are pleased to congratulate you both on this happy occasion. |
yasurrunā an nuhanniʾakumā bi-hādhihi al-munāsabati as-saʿīdah |
يَسُرُّنَا أَنْ نُهَنِّئَكُمَا بِهَذِهِ المُنَاسَبَةِ السَّعِيدَة. |
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Our best wishes to you both for a future filled with happiness and success. |
maʿa aṭyabi at-tamanniyāti lakumā bi-mustaqbalin malīʾin bil-saʿādati wa-at-tawfīq |
مَعَ أَطْيَبِ التَّمَنِّيَاتِ لَكُمَا بِمُسْتَقْبَلٍ مَلِيءٍ بِالسَّعَادَةِ وَالتَّوْفِيق. |
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Islamic Engagement Duas and Blessing-Style Wishes
For a religious couple, an engagement wish may include a short duʿā for blessings, guidance, and a good outcome. The messages below are blessing-style wishes, not quotations from hadith. They ask Allah to bring goodness to their engagement and guide the couple toward the next stage of their lives.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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May Allah bless you both and grant you success in all that is good. |
bāraka Allāhu lakumā wa-waffaqakumā li-kulli khayr |
بَارَكَ اللهُ لَكُمَا وَوَفَّقَكُمَا لِكُلِّ خَيْر. |
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May Allah make your engagement the beginning of a life filled with affection and mercy. |
jaʿala Allāhu khiṭbatakumā bidāyatan li-ḥayātin malīʾatin bil-mawaddati wa-ar-raḥmah |
جَعَلَ اللهُ خِطْبَتَكُمَا بِدَايَةً لِحَيَاةٍ مَلِيئَةٍ بِالمَوَدَّةِ وَالرَّحْمَة. |
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May Allah guide you both and bring you together in goodness. |
waffaqakumā Allāhu wa-jamaʿa baynakumā ʿalā khayr |
وَفَّقَكُمَا اللهُ وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَكُمَا عَلَى خَيْر. |
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I ask Allah to bring this to completion for you both in goodness and grant you happiness. |
asʾalu Allāha an yutimma lakumā bi-khayrin wa-yaktuba lakumā as-saʿādah |
أَسْأَلُ اللهَ أَنْ يُتِمَّ لَكُمَا بِخَيْرٍ وَيَكْتُبَ لَكُمَا السَّعَادَة. |
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How to Reply to Engagement Congratulations in Arabic
The simplest reply to mabrūk is shukran (“thank you”). A warmer and commonly used response is Allāh ybārik fīk or fīki (“May Allah bless you”). Arabic changes the ending depending on whether you are addressing a man or a woman.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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May Allah bless you. (to a man) |
Allāh ybārik fīk |
الله يبَارِكُ فِيك. |
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May Allah bless you. (to a woman) |
Allāh ybārik fīki |
الله يبَارِكُ فِيكِ. |
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Thank you very much; that is kind of you. (to a man) |
shukran jazīlan, hādhā min luṭfik |
شُكْرًا جَزِيلًا، هَذَا مِنْ لُطْفِكَ. |
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May you be next! (to a man; spoken Arabic) |
ʿu’bālak |
عُقْبَالَكَ! |
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May you be next! (to a woman; spoken Arabic) |
ʿu’bālik |
عُقْبَالِك! |
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The spoken expression ʿu’bālak or ʿu’bālik means “May you be next,” so it should only be used when such a wish is appropriate. The letter Qaf in the word is pronounced as Hamza in colloquial Arabic.
Khitbah or Khuṭūbah?
Arabic has two words you may encounter for “engagement”: خِطْبَة (khiṭbah) and خُطُوبَة (khuṭūbah). Both are related to the idea of engagement, but خُطُوبَة (khuṭūbah) is the term you are more likely to hear in everyday Arabic when people talk about an engagement, an engagement party, or someone’s relationship status.
For example, مَبْرُوك الخُطُوبَة (mabrūk al-khuṭūbah) means “Congratulations on the engagement” and sounds natural in messages, captions, and spoken congratulations. خِطْبَة (khiṭbah) is also correct, but it is often associated more with the formal proposal or the process of asking for someone’s hand in marriage.
One important distinction: خِطْبَة (khiṭbah) should not be confused with خُطْبَة (khuṭbah), which means a sermon or speech, especially the Friday sermon. The words are written with almost the same letters, but the vowel pattern changes the meaning completely.
Useful Engagement Vocabulary in Arabic
The key words for “engagement” are khiṭbah (خِطْبَة) and khuṭūbah (خُطُوبَة). Do not confuse them with khuṭbah (خُطْبَة), which means a sermon or speech. The words differ only by their vowel patterns, but their meanings are completely different.
| Meaning | Pronunciation | Arabic | |
|---|---|---|---|
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engagement |
khiṭbah – khuṭūbah |
خِطْبَة – خُطوبة |
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fiancé |
khaṭīb |
خَطِيب |
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fiancée |
khaṭībah |
خَطِيبَة |
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the engaged couple |
al-khaṭībāni |
الخَطِيبَان |
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engagement ring |
khātam al-khuṭūbah |
خاتم الخُطُوبَة |
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engagement party |
ḥafl al-khuṭūbah |
حفل الخُطُوبَة |
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marriage proposal |
ṭalab az-zawāj |
طَلَب الزَّوَاج |
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acceptance / consent |
al-muwāfaqah |
المُوَافَقَة |
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wedding planning |
at-takhṭīṭ lil-ʿurs |
التَّخْطِيط لِلعُرْس |
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The word khaṭīb (خَطِيب) can mean “fiancé” and also “preacher” or “speaker.” The context makes clear which meaning is intended.
Review Engagement Wishes
Final word
The perfect engagement wish does not have to be long or complicated. The most meaningful messages are the ones that match your relationship with the couple and feel sincere. Choose a phrase that suits the occasion, address the person or people you are congratulating correctly, and add your own personal warmth. Even a simple mabrūk can become a memorable message when it carries genuine good wishes.
Learn with AlifBee
Want to practice congratulations, relationship vocabulary, and pronunciation? Explore guided lessons, audio practice, and more with the AlifBee app.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say congratulations on your engagement in Arabic?
A common phrase is mabrūk al-khuṭūbah, meaning “Congratulations on your engagement.” For a formal card or public announcement, tahānīnā bi-munāsabati al-khuṭūbah sounds more polished.
Can I use the wedding dua for an engagement?
The well-known blessing bāraka Allāhu lakumā wa-bāraka ʿalaykumā wa-jamaʿa baynakumā fī khayr is a traditional supplication for marriage. Since it is associated with the marriage occasion, it is better to use general blessings for an engagement, asking Allah to guide the couple and complete the matter with goodness.
What is the difference between khaṭīb and khaṭībah?
Khaṭīb means fiancé, while khaṭībah means fiancée. Khaṭīb can also mean a preacher, orator, or public speaker, so context matters. In an engagement conversation, phrases such as khaṭībuki, “your fiancé,” make the intended meaning clear.
How do you reply to mabrūk al-khuṭūbah?
A common reply is Allāh ybārik fīk when speaking to a man or Allāh ybārik fīki when speaking to a woman. Both mean “May Allah bless you.” Shukran also works perfectly. With close friends, ʿu’bālak or ʿu’bālik means “May you be next.”
