Meaning
Very anxious or worried, showing fear or concern openly.
Cultural Background
In the Levant, you will often hear 'حاطط قلبي على إيدي'. The verb 'حاطط' (putting) adds a sense of active, ongoing state. It's very common in emotional family discussions. Egyptians often flip the idiom to 'إيده على قلبه' (his hand on his heart). This reflects the physical gesture of clutching one's chest when worried. It is used in the exact same situations. In the Gulf, the phrase is used in both formal and informal settings. It is often associated with 'Tawakkul' (trust in God), where someone might say 'قلبي على يدي، والحمد لله على كل حال'. While understood, Maghrebi dialects might use 'مرعوب' (terrified) or other specific local idioms, but 'قلبه على يديه' remains the standard literary way to express this in news and books.
Suffix Matching
Always remember to change the 'hu' in 'Qalbuhu' and 'Yadayhi' to match the person you are talking about (e.g., 'i' for me, 'ha' for her).
Not for Happiness
Don't use this for 'excitement' like before a party. It's for 'stressful' suspense.
Meaning
Very anxious or worried, showing fear or concern openly.
Suffix Matching
Always remember to change the 'hu' in 'Qalbuhu' and 'Yadayhi' to match the person you are talking about (e.g., 'i' for me, 'ha' for her).
Not for Happiness
Don't use this for 'excitement' like before a party. It's for 'stressful' suspense.
Dialect Shortcut
If you are in Egypt, say 'Eedi ala qalbi' (My hand on my heart) to sound more like a local.
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
الأم تنتظر عودة ابنها من الحرب، وقلبها على ______.
The idiom is 'قلبها على يديها' (her heart on her hands).
Which situation best fits the use of this idiom?
متى نقول 'قلبي على يدي'؟
The idiom is used for extreme anxiety and suspense.
Match the subject with the correct form of the idiom.
Match the following:
The possessive suffixes must match the subject.
Complete the dialogue with the correct phrase.
أحمد: هل ظهرت نتائج الامتحان؟ خالد: ليس بعد، أنا ______.
'قلبي على يدي' expresses the anxiety of waiting for results.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesالأم تنتظر عودة ابنها من الحرب، وقلبها على ______.
The idiom is 'قلبها على يديها' (her heart on her hands).
متى نقول 'قلبي على يدي'؟
The idiom is used for extreme anxiety and suspense.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
The possessive suffixes must match the subject.
أحمد: هل ظهرت نتائج الامتحان؟ خالد: ليس بعد، أنا ______.
'قلبي على يدي' expresses the anxiety of waiting for results.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questionsNot this exact phrase, but a similar one: 'بلغت القلوب الحناجر' (Hearts reached the throats) is used to describe extreme fear.
It might sound a bit dramatic for a small quiz, but for a final exam, it's perfect.
In Arabic grammar, when you add a possessive to a dual noun, the 'n' (nun) at the end is deleted.
It depends on the grammar of the sentence, but usually 'Qalbuhu' (nominative) is the starting point.
Related Phrases
على أعصابه
similarOn his nerves
قلبه ميت
contrastHis heart is dead
يده على قلبه
synonymHis hand is on his heart
حبس أنفاسه
similarHe held his breath
