انعطف من هنا
Turn here
Literally: Turn from here
Use `لف من هنا` for immediate physical directions while driving or walking in any casual setting.
In 15 Seconds
- The standard way to say 'turn here' in daily life.
- Essential for taxis, walking, and giving map directions.
- Works across all major Arabic dialects and regions.
Meaning
This is the go-to phrase for giving directions. It literally tells someone to make a turn at a specific spot while driving or walking.
Key Examples
3 of 7In a taxi in Cairo
يا أسطى، لف من هنا لو سمحت.
Driver, turn here please.
Walking with a friend
لف من هنا، الطريق ده أسرع.
Turn here, this way is faster.
Giving polite directions to a stranger
حضرتك ممكن تلف من هنا وتلاقي المحل.
You (formal) can turn here and you'll find the shop.
Cultural Background
In many Arab cities, street signs are secondary to verbal landmarks. This phrase is the heartbeat of urban navigation, often shouted over traffic or loud music. It reflects a culture where people are always ready to help with directions, even if they aren't 100% sure where the destination is!
The Gender Switch
Remember to say `لفي` (Liffi) for women and `لفوا` (Liffu) for a group. Arabic is picky about who you are talking to!
Timing is Everything
In Arab traffic, if you say it too late, the driver might have to cross four lanes of traffic. Say it about 50 meters before the turn!
In 15 Seconds
- The standard way to say 'turn here' in daily life.
- Essential for taxis, walking, and giving map directions.
- Works across all major Arabic dialects and regions.
What It Means
لف من هنا is your bread and butter for navigation. It is the most common way to tell a driver or a friend to make a turn. While formal Arabic might use انعطف, nobody actually says that in a car. This phrase is punchy, direct, and understood from Cairo to Casablanca. It basically says, "This is the spot, make the move now."
How To Use It
You use it as a command or a suggestion. If you are in a taxi, you might say it slightly before the turn. You can point your finger for extra clarity. If you are talking to a woman, you change it to لفي من هنا. For a group, it becomes لفوا من هنا. It is very flexible and requires zero complex grammar to work.
When To Use It
Use it whenever physical movement is involved. It is perfect for guiding a driver through narrow streets. Use it when walking with a friend to find a hidden cafe. It is also great when looking at a map on a phone. If you are the GPS for your friend, this phrase will be your best friend. Just make sure to say it with confidence!
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for metaphorical "turning points." If you want to say "turn your life around," this is not the phrase. It is strictly for physical directions. Also, avoid using it in a very formal speech or a written academic paper. It is a spoken, practical street phrase. Using it to tell someone to "turn the page" of a book would also feel a bit weird.
Cultural Background
Navigating Middle Eastern cities can be an Olympic sport. Streets are often narrow and signs can be rare. Because of this, giving verbal directions is a social skill. People rely on landmarks rather than street names. لف من هنا is often followed by "next to the big tree" or "after the pharmacy." It represents the collaborative nature of getting from point A to point B in the Arab world.
Common Variations
You will often hear لف يمين (turn right) or لف شمال (turn left). In some places, like Egypt, they might say خش من هنا (enter from here). If you want to be extra polite, add لو سمحت (if you please) at the beginning. If the turn is a U-turn, you might hear لف وارجع (turn and go back).
Usage Notes
This phrase is neutral but leans toward informal. It is perfectly acceptable for daily interactions with strangers and friends alike.
The Gender Switch
Remember to say `لفي` (Liffi) for women and `لفوا` (Liffu) for a group. Arabic is picky about who you are talking to!
Timing is Everything
In Arab traffic, if you say it too late, the driver might have to cross four lanes of traffic. Say it about 50 meters before the turn!
The Sandwich Connection
The word `لف` (Liff) also means 'to wrap'. So, you use the same root word when ordering a shawarma wrap!
Examples
7يا أسطى، لف من هنا لو سمحت.
Driver, turn here please.
Adding 'Ya Osta' is a friendly way to address a driver.
لف من هنا، الطريق ده أسرع.
Turn here, this way is faster.
Used casually to suggest a shortcut.
حضرتك ممكن تلف من هنا وتلاقي المحل.
You (formal) can turn here and you'll find the shop.
Uses 'Hadratak' to maintain a polite distance.
لما توصل عند الصيدلية، لف من هنا.
When you reach the pharmacy, turn here.
Commonly used in text messages for navigation.
قلتلك لف من هنا! دخلنا في الحيطة!
I told you to turn here! We hit a wall!
A humorous way to complain about bad driving.
لف من هنا، البيت في آخر الشارع.
Turn here, the house is at the end of the street.
Used when arriving at a familiar destination.
لف من هنا وارجع لبيتك.
Turn here and come back to your home.
Slightly more poetic, using the physical turn as a homecoming.
Test Yourself
You are telling a female friend to turn here. Which form is correct?
يا سارة، ___ من هنا.
For a female subject, you add a 'ya' sound at the end of the command: `لفي`.
Complete the sentence to say 'Turn here please' to a driver.
من فضلك، ___ من هنا.
`لف` is the command for 'turn'. `نام` means sleep and `أكل` means eat.
🎉 Score: /2
Visual Learning Aids
Formality Spectrum of 'Liff min huna'
Used with very close friends, often shortened.
لف!
The standard way to speak to friends, family, or taxi drivers.
لف من هنا
Used in polite requests or with strangers.
لو سمحت لف من هنا
Standard Arabic used in news or books.
انعطف من هنا
Where to use 'Liff min huna'
In a Taxi
Guiding the driver to your house.
Walking Tour
Showing a friend a hidden monument.
Using GPS
Translating phone directions for a parent.
In a Mall
Finding the food court with siblings.
Frequently Asked Questions
11 questionsYes! While some regions have local slang, لف من هنا is universally understood across the Middle East and North Africa.
Not at all. It is helpful. Just add يا أسطى (Ya Osta) or لو سمحت (Lau samaht) to make it polite.
You say لف يمين (Liff yameen). For left, say لف شمال (Liff shimal) or لف يسار (Liff yasar).
You can say لف وارجع (Liff wa irga'), which literally means 'turn and return'.
Yes, it can mean 'to wrap' or 'to wander around'. For example, بلف في المول means 'I am wandering in the mall'.
Yes, in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), the word is انعطف (In'atif), but you will rarely hear this in conversation.
You use the plural form: لفوا من هنا (Liffu min huna).
No, for a book page, you would use اقلب الصفحة (Iqlib al-safha), which means 'flip the page'.
The opposite would be خليك دغري (Khaleek doghri) or طول (Tawwil), which means 'keep going straight'.
In some dialects, you might hear هون (hown) in the Levant or هنا (hena) in Egypt, but هنا is understood by everyone.
Only if you are literally looking at a map or floor plan. Otherwise, it is too casual for professional metaphors.
Related Phrases
خش يمين
Enter right (Common in Egypt)
طول على طول
Go straight ahead
ارجع ورا
Go back / Reverse
على الناصية
On the corner
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