Courtesies
This section summarises the expressions that are used daily to greet and say goodbye to people, ask for things and thank people on a day to day basis.
Religion
Religion is very important in Egypt. There are several phrases that you will hear regularly in any conversation.
Egyptian | English | ||
ilhamdu lillah | ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | thanks to Allah | |
'allah yisalaamak | ألّـَه يـِسـَلا َمـَك | may god protect you m | |
'allah yisalaamik | ألّـَه يـِسـَلا َمـِك | may god protect you f | |
'inn sha' 'allah | إنّ شا َء ألّـَه | god willing | |
ya rab | يا َ ر َب | Oh god! | |
rabbina | ر َبّـِناَ | our god! | |
greeting | ilsalaam Aaleekum | ا ِلسـَلا َم عـَليكـُم | peace be with you m/f |
response | Aaleekum ilsalaam | عـَليكـُم ا ِلسـَلا َم |
Addressing somebody
ya ياَ is often used before somebody's name or title as a greeting
Egyptian | English | |
ya 'ahmad | يا َ أحمـَد | hey, Ahmad! |
ya rayis | يا َ ر َيـِس | hey, boss! |
ya 'usTah | يا َ أ ُسطـَه | driver! |
ya 'ustaaz | يا َ أ ُستا َذ | hey mister(teacher)! to a respectable person |
ya 'ustaaza | يا َ أ ُستا َذ َة | hey madam! |
baasha | با َشاَ | pasha m/f |
In addition to the standard pronouns for you, there are some more formal versions:
Egyptian | English | ||
informal | 'inta | إنتَ | you m |
'inti | إنتِ | you f | |
'intu | إنتوا | you pl | |
formal | haDritak | حـَضر ِتـَك | sir |
haDritik | حـَضر ِتـِك | madam | |
siyadtak | سـِيـَدتـَك | sir | |
siyadtik | سـِيـَدتـِك | madam | |
'afandim | أفـَند ِم | Sir/Madam |
Greetings
To welcome somebody, you can use one of these phrases...
Egyptian | English | ||
greeting | 'ahlan wa sahlan | أهلاً و َ سـَهلاً | welcome and ease |
response | 'ahlan wa sahlan | أهلاً و َ سـَهلاً | welcome and ease |
response | 'ahlan beek | أهلاً بيك | welcome to you m |
response | 'ahlan beeki | أهلاً بيكي | welcome to you f |
greeting | hamd illah Aala salamtak | حـَمد ِلّـَه عـَلى سـَلا َمتـَك | thank god for protecting you m |
greeting | hamd illah Aala salamtik | حـَمد ِلّـَه عـَلى سـَلا َمتـِك | thank god for protecting you f |
Whenever you meet somebody that you already know, you should shake hands (very gently) and use one of the following greetings.
Before sunset, the following informal greetings are used:
Egyptian | English | ||
greeting | Sabaah ilKeer | صـَبا َح ا ِلخير | a day of wellbeing |
response | Sabaah ilnoor | صـَبا َح ا ِلنور | a day of light |
response | Sabaah il'ishTa | صـَبا َح ا ِلقـِشطـَة | a day of cream |
response | Sabaah ilful | صـَبا َح ا ِلفـُل | a day of jasmine |
After sunset, the following informal greetings may be used: I have heard them very rarely, though.
Egyptian | English | ||
greeting | misa' ilKeer | مـِسا َء ا ِلخير | an evening of wellbeing |
response | misa' ilKeer | مـِسا َء ا ِلخير | an evening of wellbeing |
response | misa' ilful | مـِسا َء ا ِلفـُل | an evening of jasmine |
Next, you should ask how they are:
Egyptian | English | ||
question | Aaamil 'ieeh? | عا َمـِل إيه؟ | what are you m doing? |
question | Aamla 'ieeh? | عا َمـِلـَة إيه؟ | what are you f doing? |
question | 'izayak? | إز َيـَك؟ | how are you m |
question | 'izayik? | إز َيـِك؟ | how are you f |
question | il'aKbaar 'ieeh? | ا ِلأخبا َر إيه؟ | what's new? |
response | kuluh tamaam, ilhamdu lillah | كـُلـُه تـَما َم، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | all ok, thank god |
response | miya miya, ilhamdu lillah | مـِيـَة مـِيـَة، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | 100% thank god |
response | kuwayis, ilhamdu lillah | كـُو َيـِس، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | I m am good, thank god |
response | kuwayisa, ilhamdu lillah | كـُو َيـِسـَة، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | I fgood, thank god |
response | nuS nuS | نـُص نـُص | half and half |
response | mish baTTaal | مـِش بـَطّا َل | not bad |
question | wa 'inta? | و َ إنت َ؟ | and you m? |
question | wa 'inti? | و َ إنت ِ؟ | and you f? |
If you know them well, you should ask how their wives, children, etc...
Introductions
Egyptian | English | |
'ismak 'ieeh? | إسمـَك إيه؟ | what is your m name? |
'ismik 'ieeh? | إسمـِك إيه؟ | what is your f name? |
'ismi ... | إسمي ٫٫٫ | my name is ... |
tisharrafna | تـِشـَرّ َفناَ | pleased to meet you |
Making you comfortable
Egyptian | English | |
'istirayah | إستـِر َيـَح | make yourself m comfortable |
'istirayahi | إستـِر َيـَحي | make yourself f comfortable |
tishrab 'ieeh? | تـِشر َب إيه؟ | what will you m drink? |
tishrabi 'ieeh? | تـِشر َبي إيه؟ | what will you f drink? |
Meal time
Egyptians normally have two big meals a day, plus a snack before bedtime.
English | Time | Types of food | Egyptian | |
breakfast | 11-12am | bread with salads, dips, luncheon meats, omelette with bastirma, tamiyya | fiTaar | فـِطا َر |
breakfast (Ramadan) | sunset | cooked meat, rice and vegetables, juice, sweet things | 'ifTaar | إفطا َر |
lunch | 5-8pm | cooked meat or fish, rice and vegetables | Gada | غـَداَ |
dinner | before sleeping | yogurt, fruit | Aasha | عـَشاَ |
Here are some expressions that are often used around meal times
Egyptian | When to say it | ||
remark | biilhanna wa ilshiffa | بـِا ِلهـَنّا َ و َ ا ِلشـِفّاَ | before or after eating |
remark | sufrah dayman | سـُفر َه دا َيماً | say to host before leaving table like "thanks for the meal" |
response | biilhanna wa ilshiffa | بـِا ِلهـَنّا َ و َ ا ِلشـِفّاَ |
Please
Egyptian | English | ||
to m | Aan 'iznak | عـَن إذنـَك | excuse me to get past someone |
to f | Aan 'iznik | عـَن إذنـِك | |
to m | law samaht | لـَو سـَمـَحت | please |
to f | law samahti | لـَو سـَمـَحتي | |
to m | min faDlak | مـِن فـَضلـَك | please |
to f | min faDlik | مـِن فـَضلـِك | |
request | mumkin... | مـُمكـِن٫٫٫ | Please could you/I..... |
response | mumkin | مـُمكـِن | Yes (it's possible) |
Thank you
Egyptian | English | ||
remark | shukran | شـُكراً | |
remark | 'alf shukr | ألف شـُكر | |
remark | mutshakir aaw'i | مـُتشـَكـِر ا َٶي | |
reply | Aafwan | عـَفواً | don't mention it you are welcome |
reply | ilAafw | ا ِلعـَفو | you are welcome |
Goodbyes
Egyptian | English | ||
remark | maAa ilsalaama | مـَع َ ا ِلسـَلا َمـَة | with safety |
reply | maAa ilsalaama | مـَع َ ا ِلسـَلا َمـَة | with safety |
hashoofak 'imtaa? | هـَشوفـَك إمتا َ؟ | When will I see you f? | |
hashoofik 'imtaa? | هـَشوفـِك إمتا َ؟ | When will I see you f? | |
hashoofak baAdeen | هـَشوفـَك بـَعدين | See you m later | |
hashoofik baAdeen | هـَشوفـِك بـَعدين | See you f later |
Achievement
Egyptian | English | ||
haZZ saAeed | حـَظّ سـَعيد | good luck! | |
remark | mabrook | مـَبروك | congratulations |
response | 'allah yibaarak feek | ألّـَه يـِبا َر َك فيك | god bless you m |
response | 'allah yibaarik feeki | ألّـَه يـِبا َر ِك فيكي | god bless you f |
Occasions
Egyptian | English | ||
kul sana wa 'inta Tayib | كـُل سـَنـَة و َ إنت َ طـَيـِب | every year and you are happy birthdays, new year, feasts | |
remark | ramaDaan kareem | ر َمـَضا َن كـَريم | during ramadan |
response | 'allah 'akram | ألّـَه أكر َم | during ramadan |
Opinions
Egyptian | English | ||
question | 'ieeh r'ayak? | إيه رأيـَك؟ | what do you m think? |
question | 'ieeh r'ayik? | إيه رأيـِك؟ | what do you f think? |
question | tamaam? | تـَما َم؟ | OK? |
question | tamaam kidah? | تـَما َم كـِد َه؟ | Ok like this? |
response | 'aeewa | أيواَ | yes |
response | maashi | ما َشي | It goes ok |
response | tamaam | تـَما َم | good |
response | Tayib | طـَيـِب | fine |
response | haaDir | حا َضـِر | right away |
response | mayinfaAsh | مـَيـِنفـَعش | it's no use |
response | mish mumkin | مـِش مـُمكـِن | not possible |
response | la' | لا َء | no |
response | la' 'abadan | لا َء أبـَداً | never! |
response | 'aha | أحاَ | offensive way of disagreeing |
response | Aafwaan? | عـَفواً؟ | Pardon? if you didn't hear |
response | 'ana mish 'akeed | أنا َ مـِش أكيد | I m/f am not sure |
response | 'ana mish Aaarif | أنا َ مـِش عا َر ِف | I m don't know |
response | 'ana mish Aarfa | أنا َ مـِش عا َر ِفـَة | I f don't know |
response | 'ana mish faahim | أنا َ مـِش فا َهـِم | I m don't understand |
response | 'ana mish fahma | أنا َ مـِش فا َهـِمـَة | I f don't understand |
Hassle
'imshi | إمشي | go away! |
KalaaS kidah | خـَلا َص كـِد َه | stop this |
haraam Aaleek | حـَرا َم عـَليك | shame on you m! |
haraam Aaleeki | حـَرا َم عـَليكي | shame on you f! |
Kaleek muhtaram | خـَليك مـُحتـَر َم | be respectful! if a man gets over-friendly to a woman |
'ihtirim nafsak | إحتـِر ِم نـَفسـَك |
Insults
remark | humaar | حـُما َر | donkey offensive | |
remark | 'ibn marah | إبن مـَر َه | your father is a woman very offensive | |
remark | 'ibn sharmooTa | إبن شـَرموطـَة | son of a whore/bitch very offensive | |
response | 'ifandim??? | إفـَند ِم؟؟؟ | pardon???? |