Etiquette · Ten norms that are appreciated
How to behave.
Not a paternalistic guide. Ten gestures your hosts appreciate — knowing them means having read the place, not just paid for it.
I
Eat with the right hand
Unless your host eats with a spoon, at a traditional table you eat with three fingers of the right hand. The left doesn’t touch food — a millennial hygiene norm. If you’re left-handed, say so: no one is offended.
II
Accept the first tea
Offering tea is offering hospitality. Refusing it on the first visit reads as disrespect. Try at least one cup, even if just a sip. The third pour is where friendship is built.
III
Take off your shoes
In any riad, private home and mosque. There are usually slippers at the entrance. Don’t insist on keeping your shoes out of respect for the place — it’s exactly the opposite.
IV
Cover shoulders and knees
In medinas, mosques and family homes. Modern riads require nothing. The norm is to avoid making the host uncomfortable. Summer: long linen. Winter: comfortable wool.
V
Ask permission before photographing people
No exceptions. Especially with elderly women and children. A smile and “min faḍlik” usually suffice. If they refuse, thank them and continue on your way.
VI
Bargain with a smile, not with hardness
Bargaining is a social ritual, not a battle. Starting at 40–50% of the asking price is reasonable. Ending around 60–70% is satisfying for both. If the artisan says they don’t negotiate, they mean it: trust them.
VII
Offer the right hand when greeting
Men shake hands with men. Women may shake hands with men if they extend theirs first. Hand on the heart after the handshake is the highest Moroccan courtesy.
VIII
Don’t drink alcohol in public
Morocco is a Muslim country. There are licensed restaurants and hotels, but drinking in the street or in front of Muslim hosts is in poor taste. Your host will offer it if the moment is right.
IX
Tips with discretion
10% at restaurants. 5–10 dirhams to porters. 100–200 dirhams to the driver at day’s end. Always by hand, not on the table. The amount counts less than the gesture.
X
Say thanks three times
“Šukran bizzaf” — thank you very much. It’s the Moroccan way. Repeating gratitude when saying goodbye is expected, not excessive. Courtesy doesn’t run out.
◇ For specific Arabic phrases, go to Preparation. For cultural terms, to the Glossary.