Ways to say it
| Palestinian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اشتقتلك | ishtaqtelak | |
| وحشتني | wahashtini | you have been missed by me |
To a woman the same spelling is pronounced 'ishtaqtelik'. Palestinians also flip the idea around with وحشتني (wahashtini), literally 'you made me miss you'.
What does it mean word for word?
اشتقتلك comes from شوق, 'longing', with 'to you' attached. وحشتني makes the other person the subject, as if their absence acted on you.
Which one should you use?
اشتقتلك puts 'I' as the one missing. وحشتني puts the blame, warmly, on the other person for being away.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are intimate and informal, used between family, friends and partners.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Both phrases and this reversed structure are shared widely across the Levant and Egypt.
How does it change in a sentence?
Only the final vowel changes for gender: 'ishtaqtelak' to a man, 'ishtaqtelik' to a woman, with the Arabic spelling staying اشتقتلك.
How do you pronounce it?
The stress falls on the middle: 'ish-taq-TE-lak'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Standard Arabic اشتقت إليك (ishtaqtu ilayka) is understood but sounds formal and distant for daily talk.
When do people say it?
Long absences from family, common because of work or study abroad, make اشتقتلك and وحشتني frequent words in phone calls and messages home.
Did you know?
- وحشتني turns the usual order around, making the missed person the one responsible for the feeling, a structure shared with Egyptian Arabic.
- Phone calls to family abroad are one of the most common places to hear اشتقتلك in daily Palestinian life.
Examples in context
- اشتقتلك كتير يا أمي.ishtaqtelak ktir ya ammi.I miss you so much, mom.
- وحشتيني، إمتى رح ترجعي؟wahashtini, imta rah tirja3i?I miss you, when will you come back?
- بتذكرك كل يوم.bitdhakkarak kil youm.I think of you every day.
Example conversation
Majd calls his sister Rula, who is studying abroad, after not hearing from her for weeks.
- Majdاشتقتلك كتير يا رلى.ishtaqtelak ktir ya Rula.I miss you so much, Rula.
- Rulaوحشتوني كلكم والله.wahashtuni kilkom wallah.I miss all of you, I swear.
- Majdإمتى رح ترجعي؟imta rah tirja3i?When will you come back?
- Rulaبعد الامتحانات، بشهر.ba3d l-imtihanat, bshahr.After the exams, in a month.
