How to Say “Gift” in Lebanese Arabic

By Robyn Lesley • Updated October 16, 2026

هدية

hdiyyeeveryday, Lebanon

A gift is a هدية (hdiyye) in Lebanese Arabic. The plural is هدايا (hadāya).

To give a gift say هيدي هدية إلك (haydi hdiyye ilak), "this is a gift for you". A birthday gift is a هدية عيد ميلاد (hdiyyet ʿīd milād).

Meaning: a gift or present (noun)

How do you pronounce it?

In speech the first vowel of هدية is dropped, so it sounds like "hdiyye".

Did you know?

عيدية (ʿīdiyye) is the money given to children at Eid, a different word from هدية (hdiyye).

Examples in context

جبتلك هدية
jibtilak hdiyye
I brought you a gift.
الهدية حلوة كتير
el-hdiyye helwe ktīr
The gift is very nice.

Example conversation

Tala brings a present to her friend Omar's birthday party.

Tala

كل عام وإنت بخير
kell ʿām w ent bkhayr
Happy birthday.
Omar

شكرا! شو هيدا؟
shukran! shu haydā?
Thanks! What is this?
Tala

هيدي هدية إلك
haydi hdiyye ilak
This is a gift for you.
Omar

ما كان لازم
ma kān lāzem
You should not have.

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About The Author

Robyn Lesley

Hello beautiful people, I'm Robyn, your friendly guide to the Lebanese language. Obsessed with Lebanese heritage, I dedicate my time to exploring the fascinating intricacies of conversational and formal Lebanese dialect. Quite the foodie, you'll often find me sampling local cuisines and finding nuanced ways to describe them. Among my favorite phrases are "Bon Appétit" and "Enjoy Your Food" in Lebanese. I appreciate a good "beiruti" beer while penning down my next piece. From "Hi" to "Goodbye", from "Love" to "Monkey", join me as we unlock the charm of the Lebanese dialect. Shaklik hélu! (You look nice!)

Robyn LesleyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.

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