How to say "I'm busy" in Modern Standard Arabic
أَنَا مَشْغُولٌ
ana mashghulun
- Without tashkeel
- أنا مشغول
- Franco / chat alphabet
- ana mashghoul
- Literally
- I occupied
When to use it
A plain statement with no verb: "I" plus the adjective "occupied". The adjective agrees with the speaker, so a woman says mashghulatun. It is neutral in tone; adding al-ana ("now") or an apology makes it sound less like a refusal.
Other ways to say it
said by a woman
أَنَا مَشْغُولَةٌ
ana mashghulatun
I'm busy
The form a woman uses about herself.
stronger
أَنَا مَشْغُولٌ جِدّاً
ana mashghulun jiddan
I'm very busy
Use when you really cannot be interrupted.
right now
أَنَا مَشْغُولٌ الْآنَ
ana mashghulun al-ana
I'm busy right now
Softer: it implies you will be free later.
no time
لَيْسَ لَدَيَّ وَقْتٌ
laysa ladayya waqtun
I have no time
Use to decline something outright.
How people reply
لَا بَأْسَ، لَاحِقاً
la ba'sa, la7iqan
No problem, later.
مَتَى تَكُونُ مُتَفَرِّغاً؟
mata takunu mutafarrighan?
When are you free?
سَأَتَّصِلُ بِكَ غَداً
sa-attasilu bika ghadan
I will call you tomorrow.
In a sentence
أَنَا مَشْغُولٌ الْيَوْمَ، هَلْ نَلْتَقِي غَداً؟
ana mashghulun al-yawma, hal naltaqi ghadan?
I'm busy today, shall we meet tomorrow?
آسِفَةٌ، أَنَا مَشْغُولَةٌ فِي الْعَمَلِ.
asifatun, ana mashghulatun fi al-3amali.
Sorry, I'm busy at work.
أَنَا مَشْغُولٌ بِالدِّرَاسَةِ هَذَا الْأُسْبُوعَ.
ana mashghulun bid-dirasati hadha al-usbu3a.
I'm busy with studying this week.