متأكد؟

Grammar alert, but keep it simple! Because it is an adjective, it has to match the person you are talking to. If you are talking to a guy, say متأكد؟. If you are talking to a woman, add a 'ta-marbuta' sound at the end: متأكدة؟. For a group, it becomes متأكدين؟. You can use it as a standalone question or add إنّ (that) to specify what you are sure about. For example, متأكد إنك شفت المفاتيح؟ (Are you sure you saw the keys?). Just remember to match the gender, or you might get some confused looks!

Use it everywhere. At a restaurant, ask your friend متأكد؟ when they order the 'extra spicy' curry. In a meeting, use it to verify a deadline. When texting, it is the perfect response to a friend who says they are 'five minutes away' but you know they are still in bed. It is great for those moments when someone makes a bold claim. If someone says they can finish a marathon without training, a quick متأكد؟ is the perfect reality check. It shows you are engaged and paying attention.

Avoid using it when someone is sharing something deeply personal or sad. If a friend says 'I am really heartbroken,' asking متأكد؟ makes you sound like a robot or a jerk. It can come across as doubting their feelings rather than their facts. Also, in extremely formal legal settings, you might want a more elaborate phrase like هل أنت على يقين؟. But for 95% of life, متأكد is your best friend. Don't use it to be annoying by asking it five times in a row—unless you really want to test someone's patience!

In Arab culture, hospitality is king. If you decline a second helping of food, your host will almost certainly ask متأكد؟. They aren't calling you a liar; they are being polite! It is part of a social dance where you decline, they insist, and you eventually (usually) give in. This 'triple ask' is a sign of generosity. Also, the word carries a weight of 'truth-seeking' which is highly valued in social interactions. It is a way of building trust through confirmation.

You will often hear أكيد؟ which also means 'Sure?' but feels a bit lighter. In the Levant, people say عن جد؟ (For real?). In Egypt, you might hear بجد؟. If you want to add some religious weight to your question, you can say والله؟ (By God?), which is used constantly to mean 'Really?'. But متأكد remains the most standard, clear way to ask about certainty across almost all Arabic dialects.