Thank you
شُكْرًا
shukran
Thank you.
Thank you in Arabic, shukran and the replies
The everyday Arabic for thank you is shukran (شُكْرًا). Here is how to say it, how to make it warmer, how to reply, and the thank you Muslims use that adds a dua.
Saying it to
Other ways to say it
Thank you very much
شُكْرًا جَزِيلًا
shukran jazīlan
Thank you very much.
Thank you, to the person
to a man
شُكْرًا لَكَ
shukran laka
to a woman
شُكْرًا لَكِ
shukran laki
to a group
شُكْرًا لَكُمْ
shukran lakum
Thank you (to you).
I thank you
to a man
أَشْكُرُكَ
ashkuruka
to a woman
أَشْكُرُكِ
ashkuruki
to a group
أَشْكُرُكُمْ
ashkurukum
I thank you. A little more formal.
A thousand thanks
أَلْف شُكْر
alf shukr
A thousand thanks.
How to reply
You're welcomeReply
عَفْوًا
ʿafwan
You're welcome. The most common reply.
Don't mention itReply
الْعَفْو
al-ʿafw
Don't mention it.
No thanks neededReply
لَا شُكْرَ عَلَى وَاجِب
lā shukra ʿalā wājib
No thanks are needed for a duty.
Modern Standard Arabic, with the vowel marks. Our teachers will check the Arabic and transliteration on this page before launch.
Guide
Thank you in Arabic, meaning and use
To say thank you in Arabic, say shukran (شُكْرًا). To say thank you very much, say shukran jazīlan (شُكْرًا جَزِيلًا). The usual reply is ʿafwan (عَفْوًا), "you're welcome". These work everywhere in the Arab world, in a shop, a mosque or a home.
Where the word comes from
Shukran comes from shukr, gratitude, from the root sh-k-r. It is the same root as ash-Shakūr, "the Most Appreciative", one of the names of Allah, and as the Quran's many calls to be grateful. Shukran on its own does not change for a man or a woman. If you add "to you" (laka, laki, lakum), the ending changes, as the switch above shows.
The forms at a glance
| Phrase | To a man | To a woman | To a group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thank you, to the person | شُكْرًا لَكَ shukran laka | شُكْرًا لَكِ shukran laki | شُكْرًا لَكُمْ shukran lakum |
| I thank you | أَشْكُرُكَ ashkuruka | أَشْكُرُكِ ashkuruki | أَشْكُرُكُمْ ashkurukum |
Making it warmer
Shukran jazīlan means "abundant thanks". Alf shukr, "a thousand thanks", is friendly and common. Ashkuruka, "I thank you", sounds a little more formal, and is what you might write in a letter or an email.
How to reply
ʿAfwan literally means "pardon", as in "it was nothing". Al-ʿafw is the same idea. Lā shukra ʿalā wājib, "no thanks for a duty", is a gracious reply when you helped because it was the right thing to do. If someone thanks you with jazakallah khair, the usual reply is wa iyyakum, "and you too".
The thank you Muslims add
Many Muslims, Arab or not, say jazakallahu khayran, "may Allah reward you with good". It turns thanks into a dua for the person. Saying shukran is perfectly fine too, and many people say both: "shukran, jazakallah khair". The Prophet ﷺ also said: "Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah" (Sunan Abi Dawud 4811).
No, thank you
To turn something down politely, say lā, shukran (لَا، شُكْرًا), "no, thank you". See yes and no in Arabic for more.
- Jami at-Tirmidhi 2035, from Usamah ibn Zayd, graded hasan.
- Sunan Abi Dawud 4811, from Abu Hurayrah.
Questions
Good to know
How do you say thank you in Arabic?
Shukran (شُكْرًا). For thank you very much, say shukran jazilan (شُكْرًا جَزِيلًا).
How do you reply to shukran?
Say afwan (عَفْوًا), you're welcome. Al-afw (don't mention it) is also common.
How do you say thank you to a woman in Arabic?
Shukran works for anyone. If you add "to you", say shukran laki to a woman, shukran laka to a man and shukran lakum to a group.
Is it better to say shukran or jazakallah khair?
Both are good. Jazakallah khair adds a dua that Allah rewards the person, which the Prophet ﷺ praised, so Muslims love to use it.
How do you say no thank you in Arabic?
La, shukran (لَا، شُكْرًا): no, thank you.