Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ | ʔaštāqu ʔilayka | masculine |
| أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ | ʔaštāqu ʔilayki | feminine |
In formal settings, you might also use the indirect expression أفتقد التواصل معك to convey that you miss the communication you share with someone. For a more poetic or figurative touch, one can say عندي شكوى للروح بدونك, which means 'My soul complains in your absence'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ literally translates to 'I long for you' or 'I yearn for you'.
Which one should you use?
The forms in the pack differ based on the gender of the person you are addressing. أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ is used when addressing a male, while أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ is used when addressing a female.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
These are appropriate for writing or formal speech rather than daily street slang. In contrast, أشتاقلك and أنا بشتاقلك are informal ways to express this sentiment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the informal phrase أنا بشتاقلك is commonly used to say 'I miss you'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ ends in the suffix -ka (كَ) to address a male. The feminine form أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ ends in the suffix -ki (كِ) to address a female.
How do you pronounce it?
ʔaštāqu ʔilayka
Did you know?
- Unlike the English word 'miss', the formal Arabic word أَشْتَاقُ is used only for people and emotional longing. You cannot use it to describe missing a bus or a deadline.
- In Arabic poetry, the feeling of missing someone is often linked to ghurba, a term for being a stranger or in exile. This can describe the feeling of loneliness even when the person is still in their home country.
- The root of the formal word أَشْتَاقُ is connected to the concept of 'longing' or 'burning', suggesting that missing someone is a sensation of heat or a physical ache in the heart.
Examples in context
- أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ كَثِيرًا.ashtāqu ilayka kathīran.I miss you a lot.
- يَا حَبِيبِي، أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ.yā ḥabībī, ashtāqu ilayka.My dear, I miss you.
- أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ فِي كُلِّ لَحْظَةٍ.ashtāqu ilayka fī kulli laḥẓatin.I miss you every moment.
Example conversation
A woman is talking to her husband on a video call.
- مريم Maryamكَيْفَ حَالُكَ؟ أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكَ.kayfa ḥāluka? ashtāqu ilayka.How are you? I miss you.
- عمر Omarأَنَا بِخَيْرٍ، وَأَنَا أَيْضًا أَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْكِ.ana bikhayrin, wa ana ayḍan ashtāqu ilayki.I am well, and I miss you too.
- مريم Maryamمَتَى سَتَعُودُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ؟matā sata‘ūdu ilal-bayti?When will you return home?
- عمر Omarسَأَعُودُ قَرِيبًا جِدًّا.sa-a‘ūdu qarīban jiddan.I will return very soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I miss you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
