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Egyptian Arabic phrasebook
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Egyptian Arabic (ma Pronunciation[edit]Vowels (
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Main Egyptian vowels
They may act as semi-vowels:
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- a
- like ā but shorter. (IPA: [æ])
- ā
- as in "hand" (long). (IPA: [æː])
- à
- like â but shorter. (IPA: [ɑ])
- â
- as in "bar". (IPA: [ɑː])
- o
- similar to "more" (short). (IPA: [o])
- ō
- similar to "more" (long). (IPA: [oː])
- ū
- as in "shoe" (long). (IPA: [uː])
- e
- similar to "bet" (short). (IPA: [e])
- ē
- similar to "bet" (long). (IPA: [eː])
- ī
- as in "sheet" (long). (IPA: [iː])
Consonants[edit]
Most Arabic consonants (sàwâ’et صوائت) are not too difficult:
- You should notice, also, that in Egyptian Arabic, consonants can be geminated (doubled). Arabic alphabets in general differ in shape slightly, depending on their position in words.
- b ب (be)
- as in English.
- d د (dāl)
- as in English, pronounced more forward in the mouth.
- f ف (fe)
- as in English.
- g ج (gīm)
- as in English, go.
- h هـ (he)
- as in English, but occurs in unfamiliar positions.
- k ك (kāf)
- as in English.
- l ل (lām)
- as in English, pronounced more forward in the mouth.
- m م (mīm)
- as in English.
- n ن (nūn)
- as in English.
- r ر (re)
- as in English, pronounced trilled (as in Spanish and Italian).
- s س (sīn)
- as in English.
- s ث (se)
- as in English, see.
- t ت (te)
- as in English, pronounced more forward in the mouth.
- w و (wâw)
- as in English.
- y ي (ye)
- as in English.
- z ز (zēn)
- as in English.
- z ذ (zāl)
- as in English, zero.
- š ش (šīn)
- as the English sh in she. (IPA: [ʃ])
- j چ (jīm)
- : as s in the English word pleasure (only found in loanwords). (IPA: [ʒ]). Its counterpart ج may be used instead, in transliterations.
- p پ (pe)
- as in English (only found in loanwords). Its counterpart ب may be used instead, in transliterations.
- v ﭪ (ve)
- as in English (only found in loanwords). Its counterpart ف may be used instead, in transliterations.
The following are a little more unusual:
dض (dâd)- emphatic d (IPA: /dˤ/) pronounced with the tongue raised and mouth tensed. Most Egyptians don't distinguish its pronunciation from د (IPA: [d]).
- ğ غ (ğēn)
- a voiced (x) like a French "r". (IPA: [ɣ])
hح (hà)- a hard h made in the pharynx. (IPA: [ħ])
sص (sâd)- emphatic s (IPA: /sˤ/) pronounced with the tongue raised and mouth tensed. Not pronounced in all positions.
tط (tà)- emphatic t (IPA: /tˤ/) pronounced with the tongue raised and mouth tensed. Not pronounced in all positions.
- x خ (xà)
- a harsh sound found in some English words like bach and loch. (IPA: [x])
zظ (zà)- emphatic z (IPA: /zˤ/) pronounced with the tongue raised and mouth tensed. Not pronounced in all positions.
- q ق (qâf)
- a hard k pronounced in the back of the mouth (IPA: /q/). In Egyptian Arabic it is usually a glottal stop (IPA: [ʔ]).
The last two are hard for non-native speakers, so try to get a native speaker to demonstrate. That said, most beginners tend to opt for the simple approach of ignoring those pesky apostrophes entirely, but it's worth making the effort.
- ’
- a glottal stop (IPA: [ʔ]), or the constriction of the throat as between the syllables uh-oh, but in Arabic this is often found in strange places such as the beginning of a word. Known in Arabic as hamza ء
- `
- a voiced (
h) (IPA: [ʕ]), famously equated to the sound of someone being strangled. Known in Arabic as `ayn ع or `ēn.
Phrase list[edit]
- lestet el `ebàrât ليستة العبارات
Basics[edit]
- ’asaseyyāt أساسيات
Many Arabic expressions are different for men and women, depending both on the gender of the person talking (you) and the person being addressed.
- Hello
- ’salāmu-`alēkum سلام عليكم
- Hello (informal)
- ’ahlan أهلاً
- Good morning.
sàbâhel-xēr صباح الخير
- Good evening.
- masā’ el-xēr مساء الخير
- Good night (to sleep)
- te
sbàh`ala xēr تصبح على خير (to a male)
tesbàhi `ala xēr تصبحي على خير (to a female)
tesbàhu `ala xēr تصبحو على خير (to a group)
- How are you?
- ’ezzayyak? إزيك (to a male)
’ezzayyek? إزيك (to a female)
’ezzayyoku? إزيكو (to a group)
’ezzāyhàdretàk? إزي حدرتك (to an elder;hàdretek: female)
- Fine, thank you.
- kowayyes šokràn كويس شكرا (male)
kowayyesa šokràn كويسة شكرا (female)
kowayyesīn šokràn كويسين شكراً (group)
A far more common response to the question "how are you" is simply to thank God - el-hamde lellah الحمد لله
- What is your name?
- ’esmak ’ēh? إسمك ايه؟ (to a male)
’esmek ’ēh? إسمك ايه؟ (to a female)
- My name is ______ .
- ’esmi ______ إسمي
- Please.
- men fà
dlàk من فضلك (to a male)
men fàdlek من فضلك (to a female)
men fàdloku من فضلكو (to a group)
- Thank you.
- šokràn شكراً
- You're welcome.
- el `afw العفو
- Yes.
- ’aywa أيوا
- No.
- la’ لأ
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- law sama
ht لو سمحت (to a male)
law samahti لو سمحتي (to a female)
law samahtu لو سمحتو (to a group)
- Excuse me. (avoiding offence)
- ba`de ’eznak بعد إذنك (to a male)
ba`de ’eznek بعد إذنك (to a female)
ba`de ’eznoku بعد إذنكو (to a group)
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- la mu’axza لا مؤاخذة
- I'm sorry
- ’ana ’āsef أنا آسف (male)
’ana ’asfa أنا آسفة (female)
- Goodbye
- ma`as-salāma مع السلامة
- Goodbye (informal)
- salām سلام
- I can't speak Arabic well.
- mabatkallemš `arabi kwayyes ما بتكلمش عربي كويس
- Do you speak English?
- betetkallem ’engelīzi? بتتكلم إنجليزي؟ (male)
betetkallemi ’engelīzi? بتتكلمي إنجليزي؟ (female)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- fī
hadde hena beyetkallem ’engelīzi? فيه حد هنا بيتكلم إنجليزي؟
- Save me!
- ’el
ha’ūni! إلحقوني
- Look out!
hāseb حاسب (to a male)hasbi حاسبي (to a female)hasbu حاسبو (to a group)
- I don't understand.
- ’ana meš fāhem أنا مش فاهم (male)
’ana meš fahma أنا مش فاهمة (female)
- Where is the toilet?
- fēn ’el-
hammām? فين الحمام؟
Problems[edit]
- mašākel مشاكل
- Leave me alone.
- sebni! سيبني (to a male),
sebīni! سيبيني (to a female)
sebūni! سيبوني (to a group)
- Go away!
- ’emši! إمشي (to a male or a female)
’emšu! إمشو (to a group)
- Don't touch me!
- matelmesnīš! ما تلمسنيش (to a male)
matelmesenīš! ما تلمسينيش (to a female)
- I'll call the police.
- ’ana hakallem ’el-bulīs أنا هكلم البوليس
- Police!
- bulīs! بوليس
- Thief!
hàrâmi! حرامي
- I need help.
- ’ana me
htāg mosa`da أنا محتاج مساعدة (male speaking)
’ana mehtāga mosa`da أنا محتاجة مساعدة (female)
- It's an emergency.
hālatâr’à حالة طارئة
- I'm lost.
- ’ana tāyeh أنا تايه (male speaking)
’ana tayha أنا تايهة (female)
- I lost my purse/handbag.
- ’ana
dàyyà`te šànteti أنا ضيعت شنطيتي
- I lost my wallet.
- ’ana
dàyyà`te màhfàzti أنا ضيعت محفظتي
- I'm sick.
- ’ana `ayyān أنا عيان (male speaking)
’ana `ayyāna أنا عيانة (female)
- I'm injured.
- ’ana met`àwwàr أنا متعور (male speaking)
’ana met`àwwàra أنا متعورة (female)
- I need a doctor.
- ’ana me
htāg doktōr أنا محتاج دكتور (male speaking)
’ana mehtāga doktōr أنا محتاجة دكتور (female)
- Can I use your phone?
- momken astaxdem telefōnak? ممكن أستخدم تيلفونك؟ (to a male)
momken astaxdem telefōnek? ممكن أستخدم تيلفونك؟ (to a female)
momken astaxdem telefonku? ممكن أستخدم تيلفونكو؟ (to a group)
- Can I use your cell phone?
- momken astaxdem mobàylàk? ممكن أستخدم موبايلك؟ (to a male)
momken astaxdem mobàylek? ممكن أستخدم موبايلك؟ (to a female)
momken astaxdem mobàyloku? ممكن أستخدم موبايلكو؟ (to a group)
Numbers[edit]
- `àrqâm أرقام
It is not uncommon to see what is formally called "Eastern Arabic Numerals", in Arabic known as "Indian numbers" (أرقام هندية arqām hendeyyah). Be careful in that zero is represented as a dot (٠) while five (٥) looks like the zero with which we're familiar. Furthermore, numbers are read left-to-right and not right-to-left as is text.
- 0 (٠)
sefr صفر- 1 (١)
- wā
hed واحد - 2 (٢)
- ’etnēn إتنين
- 3 (٣)
- talāta تلاتة
- 4 (٤)
- ’àrbà`à أربعة
- 5 (٥)
- xamsa خمسة
- 6 (٦)
- setta ستة
- 7 (٧)
- sab`a سبعة
- 8 (٨)
- tamanya تمانية
- 9 (٩)
- tes`a تسعة
- 10 (١٠)
- `àšrà عشرة
- 11 (١١)
hedâšàr حداشر- 12 (١٢)
- ’etnâšàr إتناشر
- 13 (١٣)
- tàlàttâšàr تلاتاشر
- 14 (١٤)
- ’àrbà`tâšàr أربعتاشر
- 15 (١٥)
- xàmàstâšàr خمستاشر
- 16 (١٦)
- settâšàr ستاشر
- 17 (١٧)
- sàbà`tâšàr سبعتاشر
- 18 (١٨)
- tàmàntâšàr تمنتاشر
- 19 (١٩)
- tesà`tâšàr تسعتاشر
- 20 (٢٠)
- `ešrīn عشرين
- 21 (٢١)
- wā
hed we-`ešrīn واحد و عشرين - 22 (٢٢)
- ’etnēn we-`ešrīn إتنين و عشرين
- 23 (٢٣)
- talāta we-`ešrīn تلاتة و عشرين
- 30 (٣٠)
- talatīn تلاتين
- 40 (٤٠)
- ’arbe`īn أربعين
- 50 (٥٠)
- xamsīn خمسين
- 60 (٦٠)
- settīn ستين
- 70 (٧٠)
- sab`īn سبعين
- 80 (٨٠)
- tamanīn تمانين
- 90 (٩٠)
- tes`īn تسعين
- 100 (١٠٠)
- meyya مية
- 200 (٢٠٠)
- metēn متين
- 300 (٣٠٠)
- toltomeyya تلتمية
- 400 (٤٠٠)
- rob`omeyya ربعميه
- 500 (٥٠٠)
- xomsomeyya خمسميه
- 600 (٦٠٠)
- sottomeyya ستميه
- 700 (٧٠٠)
- sob`omeyya سبعميه
- 800 (٨٠٠)
- tomnomeyya تمنميه
- 900 (9٠٠)
- tos`omeyya تسعميه
- 1000 (١٬٠٠٠ )
- ’alf ألف
- 2000 (٢٬٠٠٠)
- ’alfēn ألفين
- 3000 (٣٬٠٠٠)
- talattalāf تلاتلاف
- 4000 (٤٬٠٠٠)
- àrbà`talāf أربعتلاف
- 5000 (٥٬٠٠٠)
- xamastalāf خمستلاف
- 6000 (٦٬٠٠٠)
- settalāf ستلاف
- 7000 (٧٬٠٠٠)
- saba`talāf سبعتلاف
- 8000 (٨٬٠٠٠)
- tamantalāf تمنتلاف
- 9000 (٩٬٠٠٠)
- tesa`talāf تسعتلاف
- 10,000 (١٠٬٠٠٠)
- `àšàrtalāf عشرتلاف
- 11,000 (١١٬٠٠٠)
hedâšàr ’alf حداشر ألف- 100,000 (١٠٠٬٠٠٠)
- mīt ’alf ميت ألف
- 200,000 (٢٠٠٬٠٠٠)
- metēn ’alf ميتين ألف
- 1,000,000 (١٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠)
- melyōn مليون
- 1,000,000,000 (١٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠٬٠٠٠)
- melyâr مليار / belyōn بليون
- number
- nemra نمرة / ràqàm رقم
- half
- no
ssنص - less
- ’a’all أقل
- more
- ’àktàr أكتر
Time[edit]
- wa’t وقت
- now
- delwa’ti دلوقتي
- later
- ba`dēn بعدين
- before
- ’abl قبل
- after
- ba`d بعد
- morning
sobhصبح
- in the morning
- ’es-
sobhالصبح
- afternoon
- ba`de ’ed-dohr بعد الضهر
- in the afternoon
- ’ed-dohr الضهر
- evening
- mesa مسا or masā’ مساء
- in the evening
- `al mesa ع المسا
- night
- lēla ليلة
- in the night
- bel-lēl بلليل
Clock time[edit]
- wa’t el sā`a وقت الساعة
- what time is it?
- ’es-sā`a kām? الساعة كام؟
- it is ___
- ’es-sā`a ___ الساعة...
- it is 3 o'clock
- ’es-sā`a talāta (be
zzàbt) الساعة تلاتة (بالظبط)
- quarter past
- we rob` و ربع
- quarter to
- ’ella rob` إلا ربع
- half past
- we no
ssو نص
- it is half past 3
- ’es-sā`a talāta w-no
ssالساعة تلاتة و نص
Duration[edit]
- el modda المدة
Days[edit]
- el ’ayyām الأيام
- Monday
- yōm el-etnēn يوم الإتنين
- Tuesday
- yōm el-talāt يوم التلات
- Wednesday
- yōm el-’arba` يوم الأربع
- Thursday
- yōm el-xamīs يوم الخميس
- Friday
- yōm el-gom`a يوم الجمعة
- Saturday
- yōm es-sabt يوم السبت
- Sunday
- yōm el-
hadd يوم الحد
Months[edit]
- eš-šohūr الشهور
- January
- yanāyer يناير
- February
- febrâyer فبراير
- March
- māres مارس
- April
- ebrīl ابريل
- May
- māyu مايو
- June
- yonya يونيه
- July
- yolya يوليه
- August
- ağos
tos اغسطس
- September
- sebtamber سبتمبر
- October
- oktōbàr اُكتوبر
- November
- nofamber نوفمبر
- December
- desamber ديسمبر
Writing time and date[edit]
- ketābet el wa’te wet-tarīx كتابة الوقت و التاريخ
Colors[edit]
- alwān ألوان
- white
- àbyà
dأبيض
- black
- eswed إسود
- red
- à
hmàr أحمر
- green
- àx
dàr أخضر
- blue
- azra’ أزرق
- yellow
- à
sfàr أصفر
- orange
- borto’âni برتقاني
- pink
- bambi بمبي
- purple
- banafsegi بنفسجي
Places[edit]
- Airport
- mà
târ مطار
- Train station
- mà
hàttet el àtr محطة القطر
- Library
- maktaba مكتبة
- School
- madrasa مدرسة
Transportation[edit]
- el mowa
slât المواصلات
Bus and train[edit]
- el otobīs wel-’à
tr الاوتوبيس و القطر
- Can I buy a ticket?
- momken Ašteri tàzkàrà? ممكن أشتري تذكرة
- I will get off in (Heliopolis)
- Ana nāzel fe (mà
sr el-gedīda) أنا نازل في (مصر الجديدة) (male speaking)
Ana nazla fe (màsr el-gedīda) أنا نازلة في (مصر الجديدة) (female)
Directions:[edit]
ettegahāt إتجاهات
- front
- oddām قدام
- back
- wàrà ورا
- right
- yemīn يمين
- left
- šemāl شمال
- up
- fō’ فوق
- down
- ta
ht تحت
Taxi[edit]
- taksi تاكسي
- Can you drive me to (the hospital)?
- momken tewa
ssàlni (el-mostašfa)? ممكن توصلني (المستشفى)؟
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