B2C1 For Arabic speakers

From Arabic Politeness to English Directness: Emails That Get to the Point

By Philip Simon ·

You learned to write a proper letter in Arabic, and a proper letter does not just barge in. It opens with تحية طيبة وبعد, it asks after the reader's health and family, it praises God, and only after a respectful run-up does it arrive at the actual point. That is good manners. The problem is that an English manager reading your email at 9am with forty other messages does not register the warmth. They register a wall of words before the request, and they think you are either nervous or hiding something. Worse, when you translate Arabic deference directly, you sprinkle in 'I am so sorry to bother you' and 'I would be most grateful' until the email apologises for existing. This guide is for Arabic speakers at B2 and C1 who write competent English but still sound either over-flowery or unsure of what they are asking. We will keep your courtesy and cut the run-up. You will learn to put the request in the first two lines and still sound polite by English standards, which are colder than Arabic ones and that is fine.

  1. Cut the Arabic-style opening salvo down to one line

    In Arabic you might open with حضرة المحترم, then تحية طيبة وبعد, then a sentence hoping the reader is in the best of health. In English, all of that collapses into 'Hi Sarah,' or 'Dear Mr Jones,' and one short line. The English reader does not expect a greeting that warms up for three sentences. Keep your respect in the salutation choice, not in length.

    If you feel rude, remember: in English, a long greeting reads as filler, not honour.

  2. Put your actual request in the first two sentences

    Arabic structure leads the reader gently toward the point, often arriving at the real ask near the end. English does the opposite: state what you want first, then explain. So instead of building up to 'and therefore I was wondering if perhaps you could send the file,' open with 'Could you send me the Q3 file by Thursday?' and then give context. Front-loading is not aggressive in English. It is helpful.

    Try the test: delete everything before your real request. If the email still makes sense, that opening was just a run-up.

  3. Stop translating أعتذر and آسف as automatic apologies

    Arabic politeness leans on softening words that translate into 'I am sorry to disturb you' and 'forgive me for the trouble.' One per email is plenty; three makes you sound like you did something wrong. Replace the apology with a thank-you, which carries the same courtesy in English without the guilt. 'Sorry to bother you with this' becomes 'Thanks for taking a look at this.'

    Apologise only when you actually caused a problem, like a missed deadline. Otherwise, thank.

  4. Trim the honorific stack and the praise for the reader

    Writing 'Your esteemed company' or 'I have the honour to address your generous self' is a direct echo of formulas like سيادتكم and حضرتكم. In English these honorifics do not exist in business email and they make you sound like you are writing to a king. Use the person's name. 'Dear Dr Khan' is already respectful. You do not need to add that their presence is generous.

    If a phrase praises the reader rather than moving the task forward, delete it.

  5. Replace indirect requests with a clear modal question

    Arabic courtesy often hides the request inside a wish: 'I would hope, if it does not trouble you, that it might be possible to perhaps receive...' English keeps the politeness in one modal verb. 'Could you,' 'Would you be able to,' 'Can you' all stay polite while naming exactly what you need. Pick one softener, not four stacked on top of each other.

    'Could you send the report by Friday?' is already polite. Adding 'if possible, if you have time, when convenient' makes it vague, not nicer.

  6. Close short and stop blessing the reader

    An Arabic close might run وتفضلوا بقبول فائق الاحترام والتقدير, full of accumulated respect, and you may want to add a blessing on the reader's health. In English, 'Best regards' or 'Thanks' plus your name is the whole sign-off. A long, layered close after a direct email creates a strange mismatch: cold body, ceremonial ending. Match the body and keep it brief.

    If your close is longer than your opening line, cut it back to two words and your name.

  7. Read it once asking 'where is the verb that tells them what to do?'

    Before sending, scan for the action verb: send, confirm, approve, review, call. If you have to read past line two to find it, your Arabic instinct buried the request again. Move it up. This single habit fixes most over-flowery emails written by Arabic speakers, because it forces the structure English readers expect.

Common questions

Will English colleagues think I am rude if I get straight to the point?

No. In English business culture, getting to the point fast reads as respectful of the reader's time. The directness that feels blunt to an Arabic ear is normal and even welcome to an English one. You are not removing politeness, you are moving it into the greeting and a single thank-you.

How many times can I say sorry in one email?

Once, and ideally only when you genuinely caused the problem, like a delay or an error. The Arabic habit of softening every request with آسف or أعتذر turns into a string of apologies in English that makes you sound anxious. For requests, swap the apology for 'Thanks for your help with this.'

Is 'Dear esteemed Sir' wrong in an English email?

It is not grammatically wrong, but it sounds dated and overly formal, like an echo of Arabic honorifics such as حضرة المحترم. Use 'Dear Mr Smith' or, in most modern workplaces, 'Hi Sarah.' Save 'Dear Sir or Madam' only for a formal letter where you do not know the name.

What is the single fastest fix for my emails?

Find your main request and move it to the top, then delete the run-up sentences that led to it. Arabic structure builds toward the request; English starts with it. That one structural flip fixes the most common complaint about emails from Arabic speakers, which is that the actual ask is hard to find.

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Sources

  1. Comparison Between Politeness in Arabic and English.

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