Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| عَفْوًا | ʕafwan |
| الْعَفْو | al-ʕafw |
| لَا شُكْرَ عَلَى وَظِيفَةٍ | lā šukra ʕalā waẓīfatin |
| عَلَى الرُّحْبِ وَٱلسَّعَة | ʕalā r-ruḥbi wa-s-saʕa |
The most versatile and safe response to 'thank you' in almost any social situation is عَفْوًا. It functions as the standard way to say 'you're welcome'.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, عَفْوًا means 'excuse me' or 'pardon'.
Which one should you use?
While عَفْوًا is the most common response, you may also use عَلَى الرُّحْبِ وَٱلسَّعَة to express that you are very happy to help or لَا شُكْرَ عَلَى وَظِيفَةٍ to convey the sentiment of 'no thanks necessary'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
عَفْوًا is suitable for almost any social situation, whether formal or informal. لَا شُكْرَ عَلَى وَظِيفَةٍ and عَلَى الرُّحْبِ وَٱلسَّعَة are more formal, eloquent and traditional expressions. عَلَى الرُّحْبِ وَٱلسَّعَة specifically conveys that you are performing a task with pleasure.
How do you pronounce it?
ʕafwan
What mistakes should you avoid?
Note that عَفْوًا is used both as a response to 'thank you' to mean 'you're welcome' and also to mean 'excuse me' when you are trying to get someone's attention.
Did you know?
- In very religious contexts, a person might respond to thanks with وإِيَّاك, meaning 'and to you as well'. This transforms the response into a mutual prayer for blessings.
- While عَفْوًا is common, some speakers may respond to thanks with تِكْرَم or تِكْرَمِي, which means 'you are honored'. This shifts the focus from the act of help to the dignity of the person being helped.
- In some dialects, people avoid a direct translation of 'you're welcome' and instead say وَلَوْ, which literally means 'and if'. It is used as a rhetorical way to say 'don't even mention it'.
Examples in context
- عَفْوًا، لَا تَقْلَقْ.ʻafwan, lā taqlaq.You're welcome, don't worry.
- عَفْوًا، هَذَا وَاجِبِي.ʻafwan, hadhā wājibī.You're welcome, it is my duty.
Example conversation
Youssef helps Layla carry a heavy bag.
- ليلى Laylaشُكْرًا جَزِيلًا يَا يُوسُف عَلَى الْمُسَاعَدَةِ.Shukran jazilan ya Youssef 'ala al-musa'adah.Thank you very much, Youssef, for the help.
- يوسف Youssefعَفْوًا يَا لَيْلَى، لَا شُكْرَ عَلَى وَاجِب.Afwan ya Layla, la shukra 'ala wajib.You're welcome, Layla, no thanks are needed for a duty.
- ليلى Laylaأَنْتَ لَطِيفٌ جِدًّا.Anta latifun jiddan.You are very kind.
- يوسف Youssefهَذَا لُطْفٌ مِنْكِ.Hadha lutfun minki.That is kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you're welcome” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
