Ways to say it
| Gulf Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أبغى | abgha | |
| أريد | areed | slightly more formal |
| ودي | wuddi | I would like |
أريد (areed) means the same thing and is used just as often, especially in shops or when speaking carefully. ودي (wuddi), 'I would like', softens the request and is common when asking politely.
What does it mean word for word?
أبغى comes from a root meaning 'to seek' or 'to wish for'. أريد comes from the standard verb 'to want'. ودي is built on the word for affection, so it literally suggests 'my liking is for'.
Which one should you use?
أبغى is the most distinctly Gulf of the three and is heard everywhere from markets to homes. أريد sounds very slightly more careful. ودي is the gentlest and most polite of the three.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
None of these are impolite, but ودي is the softest choice when asking a favour, closer to 'I would like' than a flat 'I want'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
أبغى is a hallmark of Gulf Arabic, especially Saudi and Kuwaiti speech, and distinguishes Khaleeji dialects from the Levantine بدي and Egyptian عايز.
How does it change in a sentence?
Add a verb after any of these to say what you want to do: أبغى أروح, 'I want to go'. Add a noun to want a thing: أبغى قهوة, 'I want coffee'.
How do you pronounce it?
The غ in أبغى is a soft, rasping sound made at the back of the throat, close to a gentle gargle.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes use the Levantine بدي in the Gulf, which will be understood thanks to television but sounds foreign rather than local.
When do people say it?
Gulf speech favours directness in requests between people who know each other, so أبغى كوب ماي ('I want a cup of water') among family sounds completely normal, not rude.
Did you know?
- أبغى is one of the quickest ways to tell a Gulf Arabic speaker apart from a Levantine speaker, who would say بدي instead.
- ودي, from the same root as the word for affection, turns a plain want into something closer to a gentle, likeable wish.
Examples in context
- أبغى أروح السوق الحين.abgha aruh is-souq il-heen.I want to go to the market now.
- أريد فنجان قهوة لو سمحت.areed finjan gahwa low samaht.I would like a cup of coffee, please.
- ودي أشوفك قبل لا تسافر.wuddi ashufak gabil la tsafir.I would like to see you before you travel.
Example conversation
Maha tells her brother Fahad what she wants before they go shopping.
- Mahaأبغى أشوف محل الأحذية الأول.abgha ashuf mahall il-ahthiya il-awwal.I want to check the shoe shop first.
- Fahadزين، وبعدين؟zein, w ba'dein?Good, and after that?
- Mahaودي أشرب قهوة وأنا متعبة.wuddi ashrab gahwa w ana mit'aba.I would like to have a coffee, I am tired.
- Fahadما عليك أمر، أبغى شي أنا كذلك.ma 'alaik amr, abgha shay ana kathalik.No problem, I want something too.
