Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| لِمَاذَا | limāḏā |
| لِمَ | lima |
| علاش | ʕlēš |
| علاه | ʕlēh |
The word is used as an interrogative adverb to ask for the reason or cause behind something. In formal contexts, you can also use the phrase مَا السَّبَبُ؟ to inquire about the reason behind something.
What does it mean word for word?
The form لِمَاذَا (limāḏā) is a combination of the preposition لِ (li), meaning 'for' or 'to' and the interrogative pronoun مَاذَا (māḏā), meaning 'what'. Literally, it translates to 'for what reason'.
Which one should you use?
While لِمَاذَا is the standard form, لِمَ (lima) serves as a shortened and more concise version used in Modern Standard Arabic.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
لِمَاذَا is a common, straightforward and standard way to say 'why' in formal writing, news broadcasts and Modern Standard Arabic. In contrast, لِيه is an informal way to express 'why'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Maghrebi dialects, such as those spoken in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, you will hear علاش (ʿlāš). The variation علاه (ʿlāh) is also used in several North African dialects.
How do you pronounce it?
limāḏā
Did you know?
- Depending on the tone, saying لِيه in an Egyptian context can function as a challenge or a way to say 'how dare you', rather than a simple question.
- The Maghrebi word علاش is a linguistic shortcut for the phrase على أي شيء, which means 'upon what thing'.
- The informal word لِيه can function as a rhetorical exclamation of disbelief, much like saying 'why on earth' in English.
Examples in context
- لِمَ لًم يقولوا شيئا؟Why didn't they say something?This example shows how to use لِمَ.Tatoeba #4935210 by damascene, translation #2064839 by CK
- لِمَ لا يَستَمِعُ لي تومWhy won't Tom just listen to me?This example uses لِمَ.Tatoeba #9307675 by Mohammed_Iraq, translation #9199578 by DJ_Saidez
- لِمَ تريد المغادرة اليوم؟Why do you want to leave today?Tatoeba #607946 by Samer, translation #2333 by CK
- لِمَاذَا تَتَأَخَّرُ عَنِ الاجْتِمَاعِ؟Why are you late for the meeting?
- مَا السَّبَبُ في تَأَخُّرِ الرَّحِلَةِ؟What is the reason for the flight delay?
- لِيه مش جاي؟Why aren't you coming?
- عَلِش مِش فاهِمَة السُّؤَال؟Why don't you understand the question?
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man asks a woman why she is crying in a park.
- عمر Omarلِمَاذَا تَبْكِينَ يَا سَارَةُ؟limadhā tabkīna yā sāratu?Why are you crying, Sarah?
- سارة Saraلَقَدْ فَقَدْتُ مِفْتَاحَ السَّيَّارَةِ.laqad faqadtu miftāḥa as-sayyārah.I lost the car keys.
- عمر Omarلِمَاذَا لَمْ تَضَعِيهَا فِي الحَقِيبَةِ؟limadhā lam taḍa'īhā fī al-ḥaqībah?Why didn't you put them in the bag?
- سارة Saraكُنْتُ مُسْرِعَةً جِدًّا.kuntu musri'atan jiddan.I was in a great hurry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “why” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
