Egyptian Arabic Grammar

Negation

The word mish مـِش is used to negate a phrase. It is either placed in front of the verb or preposition, or wrapped around it.

StructureEnglishArabic
Preposition I have cigarettes Aandi sagaayar
عـَندي سـَجا َيـَر
I don't have any cigarettes maAandeesh sagaayar
مـَعـَنديش سـَجا َيـَر
There is water fi mayaah
في مـَيا َه
There is no water mafeesh mayaah
مـَفيش مـَيا َه
kaan I was there 'ana kunt hinaak
أنا َ كـُنت هـِنا َك
I was not there 'ana makuntish hinaak
أنا َ مـَكـُنت ِش هـِنا َك
perfect I saw Ahmed 'ana shuft 'ahmad
أنا َ شـُفت أحمـَد
I did not see Ahmed 'ana mashuftish 'ahmad
أنا َ مـَشـُفت ِش أحمـَد
participle I know 'ana Aaarif
أنا َ عا َر ِف
I do not know 'ana mish Aaarif
أنا َ مـِش عا َر ِف

'ana maAaarifsh
أنا َ مـَعا َر ِفش
imperfect He wants to eat Aaayiz yaakul
عا َيـِز يا َكـُل
He does not want to eat mish Aaayiz yaakul
مـِش عا َيـِز يا َكـُل
he must not eat mayaakulsh
مـَيا َكـُلش
bi-imperfect I like this book bahibb ilkitaab dah
بـَحـِبّ ا ِلكـِتا َب د َه
I do not like this book mabahibbsh ilkitaab dah
مـَبـَحـِبّش ا ِلكـِتا َب د َه

less common...
mish bahibb ilkitaab dah
مـِش بـَحـِبّ ا ِلكـِتا َب د َه
]
Ha-imperfect I will buy the book hashtiri ilkitaab
ها َشتـِري ا ِلكـِتا َب
I will not buy the book mish hashtiri ilkitaab
مـِش ها َشتـِري ا ِلكـِتا َب
imperative go away!iimshy!
don't go!use mish+you-imperfect
matimsheesh
مـَتـِمشيش

Sometimes ma- is used on it own- the -sh does not appear after the word. There are no rules about when this can happen.


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