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 phrase أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ is literally translated as "I long for you" or "I yearn for you".
Which one should you use?
Use أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ when speaking to a man and أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ when speaking to a woman.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
أشتاق إليكِ is a formal way to say 'I miss you' to a girl. For a more informal approach, you can say أنا مشتاق لكِ. Another formal option to say "I miss you" to a woman is أفتقدكِ.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Arabic dialects (like Egyptian), people use وحشتني instead of the formal أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a woman, the final vowel of the second word changes from 'ka' to 'ki', resulting in أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ. To say "I miss you both" (dual), the ending changes to أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكُمَا. To say "I miss you" to a group of people, the ending changes to أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكُمْ.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔaštāqu ʔilayka
Did you know?
- The word وحشتني shares a root with the word for 'wild' or 'deserted' land, suggesting that the absence of a loved one makes the world feel like a wasteland.
- In some Levantine dialects, the phrase مشتاقلك is often accompanied by a hand placed over the heart to emphasize the sincerity of the longing.
- While أَشْتَاقُ expresses a longing, the word شوق (longing) is often used in poetry to describe a physical pain or a burning sensation in the chest.
Examples in context
- أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ كَثِيرًا يَا صَدِيقِي.ashtāqu ilayka kathīran yā ṣadīqī.I miss you very much, my friend.
- أَنَا أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ عِنْدَمَا أَسَافِرُ.anā ashtāqu ilayka 'indamā usāfiru.I miss you when I travel.
- أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ فِي كُلِّ لَحْظَةٍ.ashtāqu ilayka fī kulli laḥẓatin.I miss you every moment.
Example conversation
Sarah is talking to Ahmed on the phone.
- سارة Saraمَرْحَبًا يَا أَحْمَدُ، كَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟marḥaban yā aḥmadu, kayfa ḥāluka?Hello Ahmed, how are you?
- أحمد Ahmedأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، وَأَنْتِ؟anā bikhayrin, wa anti?I am well, and you?
- سارة Saraأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، لَكِنِّي أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ.anā bikhayrin, lakinnī ashtāqu ilayka.I am well, but I miss you.
- أحمد Ahmedوَأَنَا أَيْضًا أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ يَا سَارَةُ.wa anā ayḍan ashtāqu ilayki yā sāratu.And I miss you too, Sarah.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i miss you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
