أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ
ʔaštāqu ʔilaykamasculine
The English phrase "I miss you" is translated into Arabic as أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ (ʔaštāqu ʔilayka). Wiktionary also lists أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ (ʔaštāqu ʔilayki).
Meaning: I miss you (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ | ʔaštāqu ʔilayka | masculine |
| أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ | ʔaštāqu ʔilayki | feminine |
This phrase is used to express that you miss someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally "I long for you". The verb أَشْتَاقُ (ashtāqu) means "I long" or "I yearn", and the word إِلَيْكَ (ilayka) means "for you".
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the gender of the person you are speaking to. Use أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ when addressing a male, and أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ when addressing a female.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ is a formal or polite way to express missing someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a woman, the ending changes from -ka to -ki as seen in أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔaštāqu ʔilayka
Did you know?
- The root of the verb أَشْتَاقُ is linked to the concept of 'longing' or 'burning', suggesting that missing someone is a sensation of heat or fire in the heart.
- In many Arabic dialects, instead of saying 'I miss you', people often say وحشتني (wahashtani), which literally translates to 'You have made me lonely' or 'You have caused me emptiness'.
- The concept of 'longing' in Arabic is often tied to the 'shawq' (passion), a term used in classical Sufi poetry to describe a spiritual yearning for the divine.
Examples in context
- بصراحة، أشتاق لك جداً وأتمنى أن نلتقي قريباً.Honestly, I miss you a lot, and I hope we meet soon.
- أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ كَثِيرًا يَا صَدِيقِي.ashtāqu ilayka kathīran yā ṣadīqī.I miss you a lot, my friend.
- أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ فِي كُلِّ لَحْظَةٍ.ashtāqu ilayka fī kulli laḥẓatin.I miss you every moment.
- أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ حَقًّا يَا أَخِي.ashtāqu ilayka ḥaqqan yā akhī.I really miss you, my brother.
Example conversation
Ziyad is talking to his brother on the phone.
- زياد Ziadمرحباً يا أخي، كيف حالك؟Marhaban ya akhi, kayfa hāluka?Hello brother, how are you?
- ليلى Laylaأنا بخير، شكراً لسؤالك.Ana bikhayr, shukran li-su'ālika.I am fine, thank you for asking.
- زياد Ziadأنا أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ حقاً.Ana ashtāqu ilayka haqqan.I really miss you.
- ليلى Laylaوأنا أيضاً أشتاق إليك.Wa ana aydan ashtāqu ilayka.And I miss you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I miss you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
