KalamHow to Say Please in Arabic
The most common way to say please in Arabic is من فضلك (min faḍlak), literally "from your kindness." To a woman say min faḍlik. Equally common is لو سمحت (law samaḥt), "if you allow." In Morocco people say عافاك (ʿāfāk). To offer something, as in "please, go ahead," Arabic uses a different word: تفضل (tfaḍḍal).
Literally: “from your kindness”
Please across the Arab world
Arabic changes from country to country. Here's what you'll actually hear.
Min faḍlika to a man, min faḍliki to a woman. Rajā'an is formal, common on signs and in writing.
Both are everyday Egyptian. To a woman: min faḍlik, law samaḥti.
Levantineلو سمحت / إذا بتريدlaw samaḥt / iza bitrīdIza bitrīd ("if you'd like") is a soft, very Levantine please. To a woman: iza bitrīdi.
Gulfلو سمحت / الله يخليكlaw samaḥt / allāh ykhallīkAllāh ykhallīk ("may God keep you") makes a request warm and personal.
DarijaعافاكʿāfākThe everyday Moroccan please, used with anyone. Also الله يخليك (llāh ykhallīk).
Other ways to say please
How to respond
Right away / will do (Egyptian and Levantine)
Of course, gladly (Levantine; to a woman: tikrami)
Consider it done (Gulf; to a woman: abshiri)
Here you go (when handing over what was asked for)
How to say it right
The sounds English speakers find tricky, and how to get them right.
Practise with feedbackThe ḍ in faḍlak is a heavy d: press the tongue against the teeth and drop the back of the tongue. It makes the a after it sound deeper and fuller.
Stress: min FAḌ-lak, but law sa-MAḤT, where the stress falls on the last syllable.
The ḥ at the end of samaḥt is a breathy throat h, like fogging a mirror. Don't let it become a k.
In ʿāfāk, start with the throat squeeze of ع and hold both long ā's: ʿAA-faak.
Example sentences
Excuse me, one coffee, please.
EgyptianPlease, could you close the door?
LevantinePlease, pass me the salt.
GulfPlease, where is the station?
DarijaA glass of water, please.
Standard (MSA)Using it like a local
English uses one "please" for everything, but Arabic splits it. When you ask for something, use min faḍlak or law samaḥt. When you offer something, invite someone in, or tell them to go first, use tfaḍḍal. Mixing them up is one of the most common learner mistakes.
Arabic requests are often softened with blessings rather than a bare please. Allāh ykhallīk, "may God keep you," turns a request into a warm appeal, and you'll hear it from taxi passengers, children asking parents for something, and friends asking favors.
The words change for who you're talking to: min faḍlak to a man, min faḍlik to a woman, min faḍlkum to a group. Moroccan ʿāfāk is the easy exception, since it stays the same for everyone.
Please: common questions
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What is the difference between min fadlak and tafaddal?
Min faḍlak is "please" when you're asking for something. Tfaḍḍal (تفضل) is "please" when you're offering: "please come in," "please sit," "here you go." They're not interchangeable.
How do you say please to a woman in Arabic?
Say من فضلك (min faḍlik), with an i at the end instead of a. Likewise law samaḥti and allāh ykhallīki. In MSA the forms are min faḍlika to a man and min faḍliki to a woman.
What does afak mean in Moroccan Arabic?
عافاك (ʿāfāk) means "please" in Moroccan Darija. It comes from a phrase wishing someone well-being and is used with anyone, from friends to shopkeepers, without changing for gender.
Is law samaht the same as please?
Mostly, yes. لو سمحت (law samaḥt) literally means "if you allow" and is used for polite requests. It also works like "excuse me" to get a waiter's or stranger's attention.
Don't just look it up. Say it.
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