لا
lāeveryday
The word for "no" in Saudi Arabia is لا (lā), the same as in standard Arabic. For emphasis people say لا والله (lā wallāh), "no, I swear by God". It is also called ما أبغى (mā abgha).
Meaning: negative answer (interjection)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| لا | lā | everyday |
| لا والله | lā wallāh | emphatic, Gulf |
| ما أبغى | mā abgha | Gulf, I do not want |
When declining an offer, Saudis often soften the refusal. ما أبغى (mā abgha), "I do not want", is direct, while adding شكرا (shukran), "thank you", makes it polite.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The Saudi and Gulf word for "want" is أبغى (abgha), where other regions say بدي (biddī) or أريد (urīd).
When do people say it?
A host will usually offer food or coffee more than once, so a first لا is often followed by a polite شكرا (shukran) and, if needed, a second refusal.
Did you know?
- Saudi hospitality means a guest is offered Arabic coffee and dates, and a cup is usually refilled until the guest shakes the empty cup gently to say no more.
Examples in context
- لا والله ما أعرفlā wallāh mā aʿrifNo, I really do not know.
- ما أبغى قهوةmā abgha qahwaI do not want coffee.
Example conversation
Host Abdulaziz offers dates to his guest Peter in Riyadh.
- Abdulazizتبغى تمر؟tabgha tamr?Do you want dates?
- Peterلا، شكراlā, shukranNo, thank you.
- Abdulazizبس واحدةbas wāḥidaJust one.
