Writing a formal letter or email in Arabic
Arabic · Key Stage 3 · The School
A formal opening
A formal Arabic letter or email typically opens with a respectful greeting and the recipient's title: السَّيِّدُ الفَاضِلُ / السَّيِّدَةُ الفَاضِلَةُ (Respected Sir / Respected Madam), followed by تَحِيَّةً طَيِّبَةً وَبَعْدُ, ("Warm greetings, and to proceed,") — a set phrase that signals the main content is about to begin.
Stating the purpose clearly
A formal message states its purpose early and plainly, usually in the first sentence after the opening: أَكْتُبُ إِلَيْكُمْ لِطَلَبِ... ("I am writing to you to request...") or أَكْتُبُ إِلَيْكُمْ لِلِاسْتِفْسَارِ عَنْ... ("I am writing to you to enquire about..."). A reader should never have to guess why a formal letter was sent.
A formal closing
A formal message closes with a set phrase of thanks and respect, such as وَتَقَبَّلُوا فَائِقَ الِاحْتِرَامِ وَالتَّقْدِيرِ ("Please accept my utmost respect and appreciation"), followed by the sender's name. This closing signals the message is finished and reinforces its formal register, matching the formal opening.
السَّيِّدُ الفَاضِلُ، تَحِيَّةً طَيِّبَةً وَبَعْدُ، أَكْتُبُ إِلَيْكُمْ لِطَلَبِ نُسْخَةٍ مِنْ شَهَادَتِي الدِّرَاسِيَّةِ. أَرْجُو التَّكَرُّمَ بِإِرْسَالِهَا فِي أَقْرَبِ وَقْتٍ مُمْكِنٍ. وَتَقَبَّلُوا فَائِقَ الِاحْتِرَامِ وَالتَّقْدِيرِ. ("Respected Sir, Warm greetings, and to proceed, I am writing to you to request a copy of my academic certificate. I would be grateful if you could kindly send it as soon as possible. Please accept my utmost respect and appreciation.") Notice the three structural pieces in order: the formal opening and greeting, one clear sentence stating exactly what is wanted, and the formal closing. A reader could skip straight to the middle sentence and still know precisely what this letter is asking for — which is exactly the point of stating the purpose clearly and early.