Ways to say it
| Iraqi Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اشتقتلك | ishtaqtillak | to a man |
| اشتقتلچ | ishtaqtillich | to a woman |
| مشتاقلك | mushtaqlak | I am longing for you, to a man |
To a woman, say اشتقتلچ (ishtaqtillich). مشتاقلك (mushtaqlak), 'I am longing for you', is a close alternative that describes an ongoing feeling rather than a single moment of missing someone.
What does it mean word for word?
Both phrases come from the root شوق, meaning 'longing' or 'yearning'. اشتقتلك is built from a past-tense verb plus 'to you', while مشتاقلك uses a participle, 'one who is longing', plus the same ending.
Which one should you use?
اشتقتلك describes the feeling as it hits you, closer to 'I came to miss you'. مشتاقلك describes a steady state, closer to 'I have been missing you'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are warm, informal expressions for family, friends and partners, not for formal writing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
This root for longing, شوق, is shared across the Arab world, though the exact phrasing with ل plus a pronoun ending is a feature of Iraqi and Gulf speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending changes for gender: لك to a man and لچ to a woman, attached directly to the verb or participle.
How do you pronounce it?
The ق in اشتقتلك is pronounced as a g sound in most Iraqi speech, closer to 'ishtagtillak'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes translate 'I miss you' literally with a verb meaning 'to lack', which sounds unnatural. The شوق root is the correct, natural choice.
When do people say it?
With so many Iraqi families spread abroad after years of migration, اشتقتلك is one of the most frequently typed phrases in messages between relatives living in different countries.
Did you know?
- The Arabic root شوق behind اشتقتلك also gives the word for 'craving', showing how closely longing and desire are linked in the language.
- With large Iraqi communities now living abroad, phrases built on شوق are among the most common lines exchanged in family voice messages across borders.
Examples in context
- اشتقتلك كتير، وينك؟ishtaqtillak kteer, weinak?I miss you so much, where have you been?
- مشتاقلچ من زمان.mushtaqlich min zaman.I have been missing you for a while.
- كل يوم اشتقتلك اكثر.kil yom ishtaqtillak akthar.Every day I miss you more.
Example conversation
Hiba video calls her brother Omar, who moved abroad for work.
- Hibaاشتقتلك كتير يا عمر.ishtaqtillak kteer ya Omar.I miss you so much, Omar.
- Omarوانا مشتاقلچ، شلون الكل بالبيت؟w ana mushtaqlich, shlon il-kil bil-beit?I miss you too, how is everyone at home?
- Hibaزينين، بس البيت فاضي بدونك.zeeneen, bas il-beit fathi bidunak.They are fine, but the house feels empty without you.
- Omarإن شاء الله اجي الصيف.in sha' Allah aji is-seif.God willing I will come in the summer.
