Writing to an Arabic-speaking customer: address, confirm, then quote

Titles and the first message

Use a formal address in a first message. Do not open with a first name unless the customer signs that way. Use the name and title exactly as the customer writes them, and do not guess a local honorific.

الأستاذ (al-ustadh) is a widely used respectful title, but usage varies by country. When you are unsure, keep the customer's own spelling and add a neutral greeting.

• السلام عليكم (As-salamu alaykum) — Peace be upon you. A standard regional greeting, not a claim about the recipient's faith. The usual reply is وعليكم السلام.
• أهلاً وسهلاً (Ahlan wa sahlan) — Welcome; pleased to connect. Use it when a conversation opens or after an introduction.
• شكراً جزيلاً (Shukran jazilan) — Thank you very much. Use it after a document, a reply, or a meeting.

Confirming and clarifying

Confirm receipt before you ask for more information. It tells the customer that the message arrived and keeps the next step clear.

• استلمنا طلبكم، شكراً لكم. (Istalamna talabakum, shukran lakum.) — We have received your request, thank you.
• ما هي الكمية المطلوبة؟ (Ma hiya al-kammiyya al-matluba?) — What quantity is required?

Quote, production, and delivery

State what the quote includes and when the lead time starts. Packaging, freight, tax, and approval steps are common sources of confusion.

Keep dates in one format and repeat the month in words when the message matters. A numeric date can be read differently across markets.

• أرفقنا لكم عرض السعر. (Arfaqna lakum 'ard al-si'r.) — We have attached our price quotation.
• مدة الإنتاج [X] يوماً من تاريخ تأكيد الطلب. (Muddat al-intaj [X] yawman min tarikh ta'kid al-talab.) — Production takes [X] days from the date of order confirmation.
• موعد التسليم المتوقع [التاريخ]. (Maw'id al-taslim al-mutawaqqa' [date].) — The expected delivery date is [date].

Payment, confirmation, and closing

Ask for payment terms in writing before money moves. If the terms are still under discussion, ask rather than assume.

End with one action. A clear request for confirmation is easier to answer than a general closing.

• ما هي شروط الدفع؟ (Ma hiya shurut al-daf'?) — What are the payment terms?
• تم استلام الدفعة، شكراً لكم. (Tamma istilam al-daf'a, shukran lakum.) — The payment has been received, thank you.
• برجاء تأكيد الطلب. (Baraja' ta'kid al-talab.) — Please confirm the order.
• مع أطيب التحيات (Ma'a atyab al-tahiyyat) — With best regards.

Right-to-left layout, regional usage, and wording limits

Arabic reads right to left. When a line mixes Arabic with Latin product codes, numbers, or percentages, the visual order may not match what you typed. Put codes, amounts, and dates on their own lines, and preview the message on a phone before you send it.

Words, titles, working weeks, and holidays differ across the Gulf, the Levant, and North Africa. Do not infer religious practice from a name or a country, and do not paste religious greetings you do not understand. If the customer mentions a holiday first, a short good wish is appropriate; otherwise keep the message businesslike.

Machine translation often loses honorifics, plural forms, and formal tone. Ask an Arabic-speaking colleague to check important messages. The extension is a reading aid; it does not guarantee a perfect translation and does not send messages for you.