# To what do I owe this pleasure?



## digmad

Hello All,

I'm looking for a phrase in Arabic for an occasion when someone you know stops by or calls unexpectedly and you're not exactly sure why.

One could say "what do you want?", but that's a bit harsh in American English; one could also say "how can I help you?" but that can seem a little too serious or standoffish among friends.
I think the old saying "to what do I owe this pleasure?" is precise, though I'd never say it real life. 
(I always just say "so what's up?" in a specific tone that I can't really explain...)

I searched the forum but could not find a thread specifically discussing this, so hopefully it's not redundant.

Much appreciated,
Tom


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## Finland

Hello!

In that situation, I might say خير إن شاء الله or أي خدمة. 

HTH
S


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## Moseley

Isn't the phrase "To who/whom do I owe this pleasure?"


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## إسكندراني

Finland said:


> Hello!
> 
> In that situation, I might say خير إن شاء الله or أي خدمة.
> 
> HTH
> S


Or simply خير


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## Eternal student

I was under the impression that the expression خير إن شاء الله or just خير  always had a sense of wondering if something was wrong. Is that not true?


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## suma

Moseley said:


> Isn't the phrase "To who/whom do I owe this pleasure?"



Both are used.
To whom... = who should I thank for this pleasure?
To what... = for what reason should I be thankful for this pleasure

digmad,
My experience has been that Arabs tend to offer repeated expressions of welcome, until the visitor breaches the subject behind his visit.
Such as: 
أهلاً
فرصة طيبة
يا مرحبا


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## إسكندراني

Eternal student said:


> I was under the impression that the expression خير إن شاء الله or just خير  always had a sense of wondering if something was wrong. Is that not true?


If someone shows up at your door unexpectedly and you're not that familiar with them, you do wonder if something is wrong.


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## Eternal student

Thanks Iskanderani. So you're confirming that خير إن شاء الله or just  خير  does always have this sense of wondering if something's wrong?



إسكندراني said:


> If someone shows up at your door unexpectedly and you're not that familiar with them, you do wonder if something is wrong.



I suppose this is probably true, but if I try to think about when someone might actually say 'to what do I owe this pleasure' these days, I doubt this is what someone would say to imply they were worried about there being some problem. I think it would either be used jokingly just as an old-fashioned way of asking a friend what they want, or it could be used sarcastically to imply you don't want to see the person and you want them to go away.


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## إسكندراني

In this context it's basically equivalent to خير or أهلا وسهلا as far as I can see. It's just another way of asking what's wrong indirectly.


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## suma

If a person that I'm barely familiar with shows up at my door, it's perfectly ok to ask pointedly something like: "what's the purpose of your visit?'

On the other hand *To what do I owe this pleasure?* is reserved for family & friends who show up unannounced.
Not sure if there's an exact translation match for this in Arab culture. Like I said above just extend repeated greetings & welcome until they state the reason for their visit.


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## إسكندراني

There is a more literally equivalent expression إيه مناسبة الزيارة الكريمة؟ in Egyptian but it seems somewhat forward.


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## cherine

Yes, it's too forward.

I agree with Suma. In Arabic culture -at least as far as I know- it's more natural to just wait until the persons get into the subject. When a colleague who's not used to calling me calls me and she goes into إزيك؟ عاملة إيه، إيه أخبارك؟ ....etc. I just go with her الحمد لله، تمام، إنتي إزيك، إيه أخبارك؟ ....etc, until she decides to tell me whatever she wants. If I give her a خير؟ I'll be afraid I'd sound rude or abrupt, so I just wait.


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## suma

That's a good cultural note for us non-natives Cherine, so even saying خير  is a bit too forward.


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## Moseley

suma said:


> Both are used.
> To whom... = who should I thank for this pleasure?
> To what... = for what reason should I be thankful for this pleasure



To be honest I've never heard of the second expression before here in England, maybe it's an Americanism?


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## Tracer

No precise answer can be given here, I believe.  For one thing, the OP (Tom) himself says: 

*"I think the old saying "to what do I owe this pleasure?"* is precise, _*though I'd never say it (in) real life*_."  

*If he'd never say it in real life-*no mattter how precise it is -  then it's not just an unreal situation, it's an IMPOSSIBLE situation. * Right away, any possible answer is negated.*   (Also, note that the phrase is not a "saying" and it's not necessarily or especially "old").

If you utter the expression: * "To what do I owe this pleasure"* to a friend, it is almost always meant and comes out sarcastically.  It's much too formal an expression to use betweeen friends except in a jocular or sarcastic manner.

Tom goes on to say that what he'd REALLY say in English is something like:  "*So, what's up?"  T*herefore I believe what he's really looking for is an Arabic expression that most closely resembles "*So, what's up" *(since he'd never use the other expression: "To what do I owe this pleasure")

Considering the informality and very common expression *"So, what's up?" *Tom might want to use an Arabic expression that conveys the same sense of informality and I suggest he use what I use (these days): * 

Shlonak?  Shakhbarak?    شــلونـك ؟  ثــاخـبرك ؟            **(Two different and independent expressions, but very often used together).

*This is almost an exact equivalent to the English expression _*(So, what's up?)  *_in the sense that they both would be used under very similar circumstances.


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## aisha93

If you are talking to a close friend use these:
- نعم/خير، في شيء (اقدر اساعدج فيه/أقدر اسويه 
- نعم/خير، شِسّالفة؟ This is equivalent to (what's the matter) ش=إيش=شنو > what
- خير؟ or خير إن شاءالله؟ or عسى خير إن شاءالله (use عسى if you expect bad news or unpleasant requests...etc)


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## OsamaAbdullah

Yes mainly arabic people tend to wait for you to get into the subject but there is a short and polite way to find out the purpose without being rude by saying in Formal Arabic !يا لها من مفاجأة سارة ya laha men mofajaaten sarra! or in Syrian !شو هالمفاجأة الحلوة؟ sho hal mofaja2a el 7elwe?! simply, you say it in a sense where you are delighted by the visit but also interested in knowing the purpose to it.
خير انشالله sounds a bit offensive and straight forward. and it doesn't always indicate to something bad is taking place so it's a bit tricky and should be used with the proper tone.


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