Egyptian Arabic Grammar

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.

EgyptianEnglish
ilhamdu lillah
ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَهthanks to Allah
'allah yisalaamak
ألّـَه يـِسـَلا َمـَكmay god protect you m
'allah yisalaamik
ألّـَه يـِسـَلا َمـِكmay god protect you f
'inn sha' 'allah
إنّ شا َء ألّـَهgod willing
ya rab
يا َ ر َبOh god!
rabbina
ر َبّـِناَour god!
greetingilsalaam Aaleekum
ا ِلسـَلا َم عـَليكـُمpeace be with you m/f
responseAaleekum ilsalaam
عـَليكـُم ا ِلسـَلا َم

Addressing somebody

ya ياَ is often used before somebody's name or title as a greeting

EgyptianEnglish
ya 'ahmad
يا َ أحمـَدhey, Ahmad!
ya rayis
يا َ ر َيـِسhey, boss!
ya 'usTah
يا َ أ ُسطـَهdriver!
ya 'ustaaz
يا َ أ ُستا َذhey mister(teacher)!
to a respectable person
ya 'ustaaza
يا َ أ ُستا َذ َةhey madam!
baasha
با َشاَpasha m/f

In addition to the standard pronouns for you, there are some more formal versions:

EgyptianEnglish
informal'inta
إنتَyou m
'inti
إنتِyou f
'intu
إنتواyou pl
formalhaDritak
حـَضر ِتـَكsir
haDritik
حـَضر ِتـِكmadam
siyadtak
سـِيـَدتـَكsir
siyadtik
سـِيـَدتـِكmadam
'afandim
أفـَند ِمSir/Madam

Greetings

To welcome somebody, you can use one of these phrases...

EgyptianEnglish
greeting'ahlan wa sahlan
أهلاً و َ سـَهلاًwelcome and ease
response'ahlan wa sahlan
أهلاً و َ سـَهلاًwelcome and ease
response'ahlan beek
أهلاً بيكwelcome to you m
response'ahlan beeki
أهلاً بيكيwelcome to you f
greetinghamd illah Aala salamtak
حـَمد ِلّـَه عـَلى سـَلا َمتـَكthank god for protecting you m
greetinghamd illah Aala salamtik
حـَمد ِلّـَه عـَلى سـَلا َمتـِكthank 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:

EgyptianEnglish
greetingSabaah ilKeer
صـَبا َح ا ِلخيرa day of wellbeing
responseSabaah ilnoor
صـَبا َح ا ِلنورa day of light
responseSabaah il'ishTa
صـَبا َح ا ِلقـِشطـَةa day of cream
responseSabaah ilful
صـَبا َح ا ِلفـُلa day of jasmine

After sunset, the following informal greetings may be used: I have heard them very rarely, though.

EgyptianEnglish
greetingmisa' ilKeer
مـِسا َء ا ِلخيرan evening of wellbeing
responsemisa' ilKeer
مـِسا َء ا ِلخيرan evening of wellbeing
responsemisa' ilful
مـِسا َء ا ِلفـُلan evening of jasmine

Next, you should ask how they are:

EgyptianEnglish
questionAaamil 'ieeh?
عا َمـِل إيه؟what are you m doing?
questionAamla '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
questionil'aKbaar 'ieeh?
ا ِلأخبا َر إيه؟what's new?
responsekuluh tamaam, ilhamdu lillah
كـُلـُه تـَما َم، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَهall ok, thank god
responsemiya miya, ilhamdu lillah
مـِيـَة مـِيـَة، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه100% thank god
responsekuwayis, ilhamdu lillah
كـُو َيـِس، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَهI m am good, thank god
responsekuwayisa, ilhamdu lillah
كـُو َيـِسـَة، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَهI fgood, thank god
responsenuS nuS
نـُص نـُصhalf and half
responsemish baTTaal
مـِش بـَطّا َلnot bad
questionwa 'inta?
و َ إنت َ؟and you m?
questionwa 'inti?
و َ إنت ِ؟and you f?

If you know them well, you should ask how their wives, children, etc...

Introductions

EgyptianEnglish
'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 َفناَpleased to meet you

Making you comfortable

EgyptianEnglish
'istirayah
إستـِر َيـَحmake yourself m comfortable
'istirayahi
إستـِر َيـَحيmake 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.

EnglishTimeTypes of foodEgyptian
breakfast11-12ambread with salads, dips, luncheon meats,
omelette with bastirma, tamiyya
fiTaar
فـِطا َر
breakfast
(Ramadan)
sunsetcooked meat, rice and vegetables,
juice, sweet things
'ifTaar
إفطا َر
lunch5-8pmcooked meat or fish, rice and vegetablesGada
غـَداَ
dinnerbefore sleepingyogurt, fruitAasha
عـَشاَ

Here are some expressions that are often used around meal times

EgyptianWhen to say it
remarkbiilhanna wa ilshiffa
بـِا ِلهـَنّا َ و َ ا ِلشـِفّاَbefore or after eating
remarksufrah dayman
سـُفر َه دا َيماًsay to host
before leaving table
like "thanks for the meal"
responsebiilhanna wa ilshiffa
بـِا ِلهـَنّا َ و َ ا ِلشـِفّاَ

Please

EgyptianEnglish
to mAan 'iznak
عـَن إذنـَكexcuse me
to get past someone
to fAan 'iznik
عـَن إذنـِك
to mlaw samaht
لـَو سـَمـَحتplease
to flaw samahti
لـَو سـَمـَحتي
to mmin faDlak
مـِن فـَضلـَكplease
to fmin faDlik
مـِن فـَضلـِك
requestmumkin...
مـُمكـِن٫٫٫Please could you/I.....
responsemumkin
مـُمكـِنYes (it's possible)

Thank you

EgyptianEnglish
remarkshukran
شـُكراً
remark'alf shukr
ألف شـُكر
remarkmutshakir aaw'i
مـُتشـَكـِر ا َٶي
replyAafwan
عـَفواًdon't mention it
you are welcome
replyilAafw
ا ِلعـَفوyou are welcome

Goodbyes

EgyptianEnglish
remarkmaAa ilsalaama
مـَع َ ا ِلسـَلا َمـَةwith safety
replymaAa ilsalaama
مـَع َ ا ِلسـَلا َمـَةwith safety
hashoofak 'imtaa?
هـَشوفـَك إمتا َ؟When will I see you f?
hashoofik 'imtaa?
هـَشوفـِك إمتا َ؟When will I see you f?
hashoofak baAdeen
هـَشوفـَك بـَعدينSee you m later
hashoofik baAdeen
هـَشوفـِك بـَعدينSee you f later

Achievement

EgyptianEnglish
haZZ saAeed
حـَظّ سـَعيدgood luck!
remarkmabrook
مـَبروكcongratulations
response'allah yibaarak feek
ألّـَه يـِبا َر َك فيكgod bless you m
response'allah yibaarik feeki
ألّـَه يـِبا َر ِك فيكيgod bless you f

Occasions

EgyptianEnglish
kul sana wa 'inta Tayib
كـُل سـَنـَة و َ إنت َ طـَيـِبevery year and you are happy
birthdays, new year, feasts
remarkramaDaan kareem
ر َمـَضا َن كـَريمduring ramadan
response'allah 'akram
ألّـَه أكر َمduring ramadan

Opinions

EgyptianEnglish
question'ieeh r'ayak?
إيه رأيـَك؟what do you m think?
question'ieeh r'ayik?
إيه رأيـِك؟what do you f think?
questiontamaam?
تـَما َم؟OK?
questiontamaam kidah?
تـَما َم كـِد َه؟Ok like this?
response'aeewa
أيواَyes
responsemaashi
ما َشيIt goes
ok
responsetamaam
تـَما َمgood
responseTayib
طـَيـِبfine
responsehaaDir
حا َضـِرright away
responsemayinfaAsh
مـَيـِنفـَعشit's no use
responsemish mumkin
مـِش مـُمكـِنnot possible
responsela'
لا َءno
responsela' 'abadan
لا َء أبـَداًnever!
response'aha
أحاَoffensive way of disagreeing
responseAafwaan?
عـَفواً؟Pardon?
if you didn't hear
response'ana mish 'akeed
أنا َ مـِش أكيدI m/f am not sure
response'ana mish Aaarif
أنا َ مـِش عا َر ِفI m don't know
response'ana mish Aarfa
أنا َ مـِش عا َر ِفـَةI f don't know
response'ana mish faahim
أنا َ مـِش فا َهـِمI m don't understand
response'ana mish fahma
أنا َ مـِش فا َهـِمـَةI f don't understand

Hassle

'imshi
إمشيgo away!
KalaaS kidah
خـَلا َص كـِد َهstop this
haraam Aaleek
حـَرا َم عـَليكshame on you m!
haraam Aaleeki
حـَرا َم عـَليكيshame on you f!
Kaleek muhtaram
خـَليك مـُحتـَر َمbe respectful!
if a man gets
over-friendly to a woman
'ihtirim nafsak
إحتـِر ِم نـَفسـَك

Insults

remarkhumaar
حـُما َرdonkey
offensive
remark'ibn marah
إبن مـَر َهyour father is a woman
very offensive
remark'ibn sharmooTa
إبن شـَرموطـَةson of a whore/bitch
very offensive
response'ifandim???
إفـَند ِم؟؟؟pardon????

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