Polite words in Arabic

Ready to be on your best behavior? After this free audio lesson you’ll be able to say "thank you," "excuse me," "sorry," and use other polite words in Arabic and phrases with confidence. You’ll also know how to express your appreciation when someone is being helpful to you.

The Rocket Arabic team wants you to feel comfortable around native speakers right from the start, and a few courteous expressions can go a long way when you’re a beginner. We’ll show you the difference between formal and informal expressions, so you can be sure you’re using the right tone for the situation.

Resources for further reading:

Listen carefully to the audio and practice saying the Arabic phrases aloud. Just as in your native language, speaking to Arabic-speaking people in a polite manner will win you friends and gain you respect, so it’s worth making the effort!

You’ll have mastered these polite words in Arabic in no time!

How to pronounce polite words in Arabic correctly

Saying excuse me please in Arabic

In this lesson all gender specific words are in the feminine form.

Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record

Rocket Record lets you perfect your Arabic pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!

بعد اذن حضرتك.

Ba3d ezn 7adretek.

Excuse me please. (formal)

بعد اذنك.

Ba3d eznek.

Excuse me please. (casual)

انا اسفة.

Ana asfa.

Sorry.

انا اسفة على كدة.

Ana asfa 3la kda.

I'm sorry about that.

شكرآ على مساعدة حضرتك.

Shokrun 3la mosa3det 7adretek.

Thanks for your help. (formal)

شكرآ على مساعدتك.

Shokrun 3la mosa3detek.

Thanks for your help. (casual)

شكرآ جزيلآ.

Shokrun gazilan.

Thanks a lot.

الف شكر.

Alf shokr.

Many thanks.

العفو.

El3afw.

You're welcome.

انتي عظيمة.

Enty 3azima.

You are great.

حضرتك لطيفة.

7adretek latifa.

You are very kind. (formal)

Use all of the above phrases liberally, and you’ll find that people will treat you better.

That’s it for this lesson.

If you want more lessons on Arabic salutations then I recommend that you check out the following:

!مع السلامة (Ma3a essalama!) Goodbye!

Amira Zaki: Rocket Arabic

Make It Stick With Rocket Reinforcement

Reinforce your learning from this lesson with the Rocket Reinforcement activities!