7 Humble Ways to Say You’re Welcome in Arabic

What comes after Shukran? 

Frankly, Arabs are always expecting a reply to their thanks. It’s not only common courtesy, it’s almost an impulse. However, saying you’re welcome in Arabic might seem a little complex at first and there’s a very good reason for that; replies to “thank you” in Arabic are a mixture of sweet wishes and even occasionally denying that they did anything worth thanking for. 

Thanking someone in Arabic usually leads to an endless loop of kindness and warmth so it’s useful to get a kickstart and save yourself a lot of awkwardness and clueless grins by learning how to say you’re welcome in Arabic. So, here’s how!

You’re Welcome in Arabic at a Glance

All the Ways to Say You’re Welcome in Arabic

‘Afwan عفواً / Al-‘afw العفو

Among all different Arabic dialects, the most common way to say “You’re welcome” is by using ‘afwan عفواً or al-‘afw العفو. They both can translate into “pardon”, so there’s a crossover use in excusing yourself or making a quick apology. However, it also translates into “no need”. 

Aala ar-raHb wa as-si’aa على الرحب و السعة 

If you’d like to say “You’re welcome” in a way that’s straight out of the book, then this MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) phrase is your way to go. Although it’s less commonly used, aala ar-raHb wa as-si’aa على الرحب و السعة is familiar in every Arabic dialect. It translates into “You’re welcome, there’s plenty of that where it came from”. 

Laa shokr ‘aala waajib لا شكر على واجب 

The phrase laa shokr ‘aala waajib لا شكر على واجب is an MSA phrase meaning “You shouldn’t thank me. It’s my duty”. It’s a humble way to say you’re welcome in Arabic, casually shrugging off as if what you are being thanked for is totally not a big deal. 

Heads up! It might get the other person to continue thanking you over and over again. Be ready for a lot of praise!

Enta Too’mor انت تؤمر

Enta Too’mor انت تؤمر is a cheeky Egyptian Arabic way to say you’re welcome. It can be rather flirtatious, so it’s probably not a phrase you want to use for everyone. It translates into “I will do whatever you wish”. If you’re speaking to a female, it transforms into enty too’mory انتِ تؤمري. 

intent Ion woo-ng someone, make sure to check out our article on 11 Romantic Ways to Say I Love You in Arabic

Wa Jazakom Mithlaho و جزاكم مثله 

Among Muslim Arabic speakers, there’s a way to say “Thank you” that stands out from the regular shukran and that’s jazakoma allah khayran جزاكم الله خيراً. It means “I hope God brings you all the good in the world”. 

When responding to this, the reply is usually wa jazakom mithlaho و جزاكم مثله, meaning that I hope God will bring the same goodness in your life. 

Aala Eih? على ايه؟

Aala Eih? على ايه؟ means “For what?”. Don’t worry, the person who’s thanking you won’t interpret it as an interrogation. This is a common phrase used to say you’re welcome in Arabic and it’s meant to give the person a feeling that it’s no big deal. It’s a bit like saying “it was nothing!” in English.

This phrase is actually considered an Egyptian dialect but it’s pretty popular all around the Arab world. You may hear variants of aala eih? على ايه؟ in other parts of the Middle East. In the Lebanese and Syrian dialects, they say aala Shoo? علىشو؟ in the Lebanese and Syrian dialects. 

Conclusion

So, there you have it, 6 different ways to say you’re welcome in Arabic. You might have noticed how each one of them sets up a scene different than the other. Each method of these comes with a unique tone and context that only uncovers the beauty and complexity of this beautiful language. This way, the next time someone throws a shukran at you, you’ll be prepared!