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 |
What does it mean word for word?
The verb أَشْتَاقُ literally means 'I long for' or 'I yearn for'.
Which one should you use?
The form changes depending on the gender of the person you are addressing. Use أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ when speaking to a male and أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ when speaking to a female.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal expression of deep longing, one might use لقد كنت مشتاقاً إليك.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Arabic dialects, such as Egyptian, people frequently use the colloquial term وحشتني instead of the formal أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a woman, the ending of the phrase changes from '-ka' to '-ki'.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔaštāqu ʔilayka
Did you know?
- While English uses 'miss' for both people and targets, Arabic uses different verbs for missing a person and missing a bus or a goal. You cannot use أَشْتَاقُ to describe missing a train.
- In some Arabic dialects, people express missing someone by saying مكانك خالي, which means 'your place is empty'. This emphasizes the physical void left by a person's absence rather than an emotional feeling.
- In highly romantic or classical contexts, the concept of 'missing' is often linked to the word شوق, which describes a longing so intense it feels like a physical fire or passion.
Examples in context
- أيّها الأستاذ، لقد كنت مشتاقاً إليك.Dear teacher, I have missed you.
- 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 laḥẓah.I miss you every moment.
Example conversation
Ziad is calling Mariam on the phone to express his feelings.
- زياد Ziadأَهْلًا مَرْيَم، أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ.ahlan Maryam, ashtāqu ilayki.Hello Mariam, I miss you.
- مريم Maryamوَأَنَا أَيْضًا أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ يَا زِيَاد.wa ana ayḍan ashtāqu ilayka yā Ziyād.And I miss you too, Ziad.
- زياد Ziadهَلْ سَتَزُورِينَنِي قَرِيبًا؟hal satazūrīnanī qarīban?Will you visit me soon?
- مريم Maryamنَعَمْ، بِالتَّأْكِيدِ.na‘am, bitta’kīd.Yes, definitely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i miss you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
