In this post, we’ll be learning how to politely give advice النَّصيحَة in Arabic. We’ll look at hypothetical problems with examples of possible pieces of advice. We’ll also talk about polite ways in receiving and refusing advice from others.

✨Let’s first look at some kinds of problems أنواع المَشاكِل in Arabic.

family عائِلة

relationships العَلاقات 

health الصِّحة

friendship الصَداقة

school المَدْرَسة

work العَمَل

✨How would you categorize the following problems?

.رَسبتُ في مادة اللغة العربية

I failed my Arabic class.

.تشاجرتُ مع أعز أصدقائي

I had an argument with my best friend.

.لقد زاد وَزني كثيراً

I’ve been gaining a lot of weight.

.زميلي في العمل لا يَرُد على رَسائلي الإلكترونية

My coworker does not reply to my emails. 

.أخي يُدَخِن بِكثرة

My brother is a heavy smoker.

.لقد نسيتُ عيد ميلاد زَوجتي

I forgot my wife’s birthday.

✨Here are several ways to begin phrasing your advice in Arabic.

…نَصيحتي هي

My advice is to…

…أنْصَحُكَ أن

I advise you to…

…لا أنْصَحُكَ أن

I don’t advise you to…

…حاول أن

Try to…

…عَليكَ أن/ يَجِب أن

You should…

…لو كُنْتُ مَكانك

If I were you/in your place/in your shoes…

✨Let’s try and give advice to the problems above. Here are some hypothetical pieces of advice to those problems.

.يَجِب أن تَدرُس المَزيد مِن المُفْردات

You should study more vocabulary.

.حاول أن تَعْتَذِر له

Try to apologize to him.

.نَصيحتي هي مُمارسة الرياضة

My advice is to exercise. 

.لو كُنْت مَكانك، سأبلغ المُدير بِذلك

If I were you, I would report that to the manager. 

.أنْصَحُكَ أن تَقنعه بالتَوقُف عَن التَدخين

I advise you to convince him to stop smoking.

.عليكَ أن تُفاجئها بِهديتين

You should surprise her with two presents. 

✨If we were to ask someone for their advice, here are three ways to phrase that request:

هل لديكَ أي نَصيحة؟

Do you have any advice?

ما رأيُكَ يَجِب أن أفعل/أقول؟

What do you think I should do/say?

ماذا سَتفعل لو كُنْتَ في مَكاني؟

What would you do if you were in my place/shoes?

✨Or, if want to ask the person if they would like your advice first before giving it, you can say: 

هل تُريد نَصيحة؟

✨Here are polite ways to thank  someone for their advice. 

 

.شَكراً على هذه النصيحة

Thank you for that advice.

 

.إن شاء الله

God willing

Note: Saying إن شاء الله sincerely when accepting advice is polite. It means that you will follow or consider following the advice if God wills it.

✨If you don’t wish to take the advice, you could say:

…شُكراً على النصيحة ولكن

Thank you for the advice, but…

.سأفَكِر في الأمر

I will think about it. 

.إن شاء الله

God willing

Note: Sometimes, you may encounter someone who you think may be offended if you were to refuse their advice. Or you don’t wish to explain why you would rather not take their advice. In this case, saying إن شاء الله may be the most polite way to let them know that you may consider it without outright refusing it.                          

Not sure how often you will be giving advice to others in Arabic, but sometimes while in conversations, people mention problems that are bothering them however big or small, and it would be nice to be able to phrase some friendly advice in Arabic. It would definitely take the conversation to a higher level. 

Till next week, happy Arabic learning! 🤓