Ways to say it
| Lebanese Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| مرسي | merci | from French, most common |
| شكرا | shukran | |
| يعطيك العافية | ya'tik il-'afye | for work or effort |
شكرا (shukran) is just as correct and common in writing. For someone who worked or made an effort for you, such as a waiter or a repairman, Lebanese speakers say يعطيك العافية (ya'tik il-'afye), 'may God give you strength'.
What does it mean word for word?
مرسي is simply the French word for thanks, used as is. يعطيك العافية joins يعطيك, 'may He give you', and العافية, 'health and strength'.
Which one should you use?
مرسي and شكرا fit any small favor. يعطيك العافية is specifically for effort or labor, and sounds odd if used after someone just hands you a pen.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
All three are polite. مرسي is slightly more casual, while يعطيك العافية can feel more respectful toward someone older or in a service role.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The heavy use of French مرسي over Arabic شكرا in daily speech is distinctly Lebanese, tied to the country's history with French.
How does it change in a sentence?
يعطيك العافية changes for the listener: ya'tik to a man, ya'tiki to a woman, following regular Lebanese verb endings.
How do you pronounce it?
Lebanese speakers stress مرسي on the first syllable, 'MER-ci', unlike the French stress on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners sometimes assume مرسي is only for French speakers in Lebanon. In reality it is used across all communities, regardless of which language someone speaks at home.
When do people say it?
It is common in Lebanon to hear مرسي and شكرا mixed in the very same sentence, with no sense that one is more proper than the other.
Did you know?
- Many Lebanese say مرسي far more often in daily life than شكرا, even though شكرا remains more common in formal writing.
- يعطيك العافية is also what Lebanese speakers say to someone who has just finished a workout, a long walk or physical work, not only paid service.
Examples in context
- مرسي كتير على المساعدة.merci ktir ala l-musaadeh.Thank you very much for the help.
- يعطيك العافية، الشغل كان تعبان.ya'tik il-'afye, l-shighil kan ta'ban.Thank you, that was tiring work.
- شكرا، منشوفك بكرا.shukran, minshufak bukra.Thanks, see you tomorrow.
Example conversation
Sara thanks the repairman Abed for fixing her kitchen sink.
- Saraمرسي كتير، صار منيح هلق.merci ktir, sar mnih halla'.Thank you so much, it's good now.
- Abedالله يسلمك، تكرمي.allah yislimik, tikrami.God keep you safe, you are welcome.
- Saraيعطيك العافية على التعب.ya'tik il-'afye ala l-ta'ab.Thank you for the effort.
- Abedمرسي، تصبحوا على خير.merci, tisbaho ala kheir.Thanks, good night.
