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 lillahiil-Hamdu lillah | ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | thanks to Allah | |
| 'allah yisalaamakaacl-lah yisalaamak | ألّـَه يـِسـَلا َمـَك | may god protect you m | |
| 'allah yisalaamikaacl-lah yisalaamik | ألّـَه يـِسـَلا َمـِك | may god protect you f | |
| 'inn sha' 'allahiicnn shaaC aacl-lah | إنّ شا َء ألّـَه | god willing | |
| ya rabyaa rab! | يا َ ر َب | Oh god! | |
| rabbinarabbinaa! | ر َبّـِناَ | our god! | |
| greeting | ilsalaam Aaleekumiil-salaam Aalykum | ا ِلسـَلا َم عـَليكـُم | peace be with you m/f |
| response | Aaleekum ilsalaamAalykum iil-salaam | عـَليكـُم ا ِلسـَلا َم | |
Addressing somebody
yayaa ياَ is often used before somebody's name or title as a greeting
| Egyptian | English | |
| ya 'ahmadyaa aacHmad! | يا َ أحمـَد | hey, Ahmad! |
| ya rayisyaa rayis! | يا َ ر َيـِس | hey, boss! |
| ya 'usTahyaa uucsTah! | يا َ أ ُسطـَه | driver! |
| ya 'ustaazyaa uucstaadh! | يا َ أ ُستا َذ | hey mister(teacher)! to a respectable person |
| ya 'ustaazayaa uucstaadhao! | يا َ أ ُستا َذ َة | hey madam! |
| baashabaashaa | با َشاَ | pasha m/f |
In addition to the standard pronouns for you, there are some more formal versions:
| Egyptian | English | ||
| informal | 'intaiicnta | إنتَ | you m |
| 'intiiicnti | إنتِ | you f | |
| 'intuiicntoo | إنتوا | you pl | |
| formal | haDritakHaDritak | حـَضر ِتـَك | sir |
| haDritikHaDritik | حـَضر ِتـِك | madam | |
| siyadtaksiyadtak | سـِيـَدتـَك | sir | |
| siyadtiksiyadtik | سـِيـَدتـِك | madam | |
| 'afandimaacfandim | أفـَند ِم | Sir/Madam | |
Greetings
To welcome somebody, you can use one of these phrases...
| Egyptian | English | ||
| greeting | 'ahlan wa sahlanaachlaaN wa sahlaaN | أهلاً و َ سـَهلاً | welcome and ease |
| response | 'ahlan wa sahlanaachlaaN wa sahlaaN | أهلاً و َ سـَهلاً | welcome and ease |
| response | 'ahlan beekaachlaaN byk | أهلاً بيك | welcome to you m |
| response | 'ahlan beekiaachlaaN byky | أهلاً بيكي | welcome to you f |
| greeting | hamd illah Aala salamtakHamd illah AalY salaamtak | حـَمد ِلّـَه عـَلى سـَلا َمتـَك | thank god for protecting you m |
| greeting | hamd illah Aala salamtikHamd illah AalY salaamtik | 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 ilKeerSabaaH iil-Kyr | صـَبا َح ا ِلخير | a day of wellbeing |
| response | Sabaah ilnoorSabaaH iil-nwr | صـَبا َح ا ِلنور | a day of light |
| response | Sabaah il'ishTaSabaaH iil-qishTao | صـَبا َح ا ِلقـِشطـَة | a day of cream |
| response | Sabaah ilfulSabaaH iil-ful | 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' ilKeermisaaC iil-Kyr | مـِسا َء ا ِلخير | an evening of wellbeing |
| response | misa' ilKeermisaaC iil-Kyr | مـِسا َء ا ِلخير | an evening of wellbeing |
| response | misa' ilfulmisaaC iil-ful | مـِسا َء ا ِلفـُل | an evening of jasmine |
Next, you should ask how they are:
| Egyptian | English | ||
| question | Aaamil 'ieeh?Aaamil iicyh? | عا َمـِل إيه؟ | what are you m doing? |
| question | Aamla 'ieeh?Aaamilao iicyh? | عا َمـِلـَة إيه؟ | what are you f doing? |
| question | 'izayak?iiczayak? | إز َيـَك؟ | how are you m |
| question | 'izayik?iiczayik? | إز َيـِك؟ | how are you f |
| question | il'aKbaar 'ieeh?iil-aacKbaar iicyh? | ا ِلأخبا َر إيه؟ | what's new? |
| response | kuluh tamaam, ilhamdu lillahkuluh tamaam, iil-Hamdu li-llah! | كـُلـُه تـَما َم، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | all ok, thank god |
| response | miya miya, ilhamdu lillahmiyao miyao, iil-Hamdu lillah! | مـِيـَة مـِيـَة، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | 100% thank god |
| response | kuwayis, ilhamdu lillahkuwayis, iil-Hamdu lillah! | كـُو َيـِس، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | I m am good, thank god |
| response | kuwayisa, ilhamdu lillahkuwayisao, iil-Hamdu li-llah! | كـُو َيـِسـَة، ا ِلحـَمد ُ لـِلّـَه | I fgood, thank god |
| response | nuS nuSnuS nuS | نـُص نـُص | half and half |
| response | mish baTTaalmish baTTaal | مـِش بـَطّا َل | not bad |
| question | wa 'inta?wa iicnta? | و َ إنت َ؟ | and you m? |
| question | wa 'inti?wa iicnti? | و َ إنت ِ؟ | and you f? |
If you know them well, you should ask how their wives, children, etc...
Introductions
| Egyptian | English | |
| 'ismak 'ieeh?iicsm-ak iicyh? | إسمـَك إيه؟ | what is your m name? |
| 'ismik 'ieeh?iicsm-ik iicyh? | إسمـِك إيه؟ | what is your f name? |
| 'ismi ...iicsm-y ... | إسمي ٫٫٫ | my name is ... |
| tisharrafnatisharrafnaa | تـِشـَرّ َفناَ | pleased to meet you |
Making you comfortable
| Egyptian | English | |
| 'istirayahiicstirayaH! | إستـِر َيـَح | make yourself m comfortable |
| 'istirayahiiicstirayaHy! | إستـِر َيـَحي | make yourself f comfortable |
| tishrab 'ieeh?tishrab iicyh? | تـِشر َب إيه؟ | what will you m drink? |
| tishrabi 'ieeh?tishraby iicyh? | 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 | fiTaarfiTaar | فـِطا َر |
| breakfast (Ramadan) | sunset | cooked meat, rice and vegetables, juice, sweet things | 'ifTaariicfTaar | إفطا َر |
| lunch | 5-8pm | cooked meat or fish, rice and vegetables | GadaGadaa | غـَداَ |
| dinner | before sleeping | yogurt, fruit | AashaAashaa | عـَشاَ |
Here are some expressions that are often used around meal times
| Egyptian | When to say it | ||
| remark | biilhanna wa ilshiffabi-iil-hannaa wa iil-shiffaa | بـِا ِلهـَنّا َ و َ ا ِلشـِفّاَ | before or after eating |
| remark | sufrah daymansufrah daaymaaN | سـُفر َه دا َيماً | say to host before leaving table like "thanks for the meal" |
| response | biilhanna wa ilshiffabi-iil-hannaa wa iil-shiffaa | بـِا ِلهـَنّا َ و َ ا ِلشـِفّاَ | |
Please
| Egyptian | English | ||
| to m | Aan 'iznakAan iicdhnak | عـَن إذنـَك | excuse me to get past someone |
| to f | Aan 'iznikAan iicdhnik | عـَن إذنـِك | |
| to m | law samahtlaw samaHt | لـَو سـَمـَحت | please |
| to f | law samahtilaw samaHty | لـَو سـَمـَحتي | |
| to m | min faDlakmin faDlak | مـِن فـَضلـَك | please |
| to f | min faDlikmin faDlik | مـِن فـَضلـِك | |
| request | mumkin...mumkin... | مـُمكـِن٫٫٫ | Please could you/I..... |
| response | mumkinmumkin | مـُمكـِن | Yes (it's possible) |
Thank you
| Egyptian | English | ||
| remark | shukranshukraaN | شـُكراً | |
| remark | 'alf shukraaclf shukr | ألف شـُكر | |
| remark | mutshakir aaw'imutshakir aawcy | مـُتشـَكـِر ا َٶي | |
| reply | AafwanAafwaaN | عـَفواً | don't mention it you are welcome |
| reply | ilAafwiil-Aafw | ا ِلعـَفو | you are welcome |
Goodbyes
| Egyptian | English | ||
| remark | maAa ilsalaamamaAa iil-salaamao | مـَع َ ا ِلسـَلا َمـَة | with safety |
| reply | maAa ilsalaamamaAa iil-salaamao | مـَع َ ا ِلسـَلا َمـَة | with safety |
| hashoofak 'imtaa?hashwfak iicmtaa? | هـَشوفـَك إمتا َ؟ | When will I see you f? | |
| hashoofik 'imtaa?hashwfik iicmtaa? | هـَشوفـِك إمتا َ؟ | When will I see you f? | |
| hashoofak baAdeenhashwfak baAdyn | هـَشوفـَك بـَعدين | See you m later | |
| hashoofik baAdeenhashwfik baAdyn | هـَشوفـِك بـَعدين | See you f later | |
Achievement
| Egyptian | English | ||
| haZZ saAeedHaZZ saAyd! | حـَظّ سـَعيد | good luck! | |
| remark | mabrookmabrwk! | مـَبروك | congratulations |
| response | 'allah yibaarak feekaacl-lah yibaarak fyk | ألّـَه يـِبا َر َك فيك | god bless you m |
| response | 'allah yibaarik feekiaacl-lah yibaarik fyky | ألّـَه يـِبا َر ِك فيكي | god bless you f |
Occasions
| Egyptian | English | ||
| kul sana wa 'inta Tayibkul sanao wa iicnta Tayib | كـُل سـَنـَة و َ إنت َ طـَيـِب | every year and you are happy birthdays, new year, feasts | |
| remark | ramaDaan kareemramaDaan karym | ر َمـَضا َن كـَريم | during ramadan |
| response | 'allah 'akramaacllah aackram | ألّـَه أكر َم | during ramadan |
Opinions
| Egyptian | English | ||
| question | 'ieeh r'ayak?iicyh raac-y-ak? | إيه رأيـَك؟ | what do you m think? |
| question | 'ieeh r'ayik?iicyh raac-y-ik? | إيه رأيـِك؟ | what do you f think? |
| question | tamaam?tamaam? | تـَما َم؟ | OK? |
| question | tamaam kidah?tamaam kidah? | تـَما َم كـِد َه؟ | Ok like this? |
| response | 'aeewaaacywaa | أيواَ | yes |
| response | maashimaashy | ما َشي | It goes ok |
| response | tamaamtamaam | تـَما َم | good |
| response | TayibTayib | طـَيـِب | fine |
| response | haaDirHaaDir | حا َضـِر | right away |
| response | mayinfaAshma-yinfaA-sh | مـَيـِنفـَعش | it's no use |
| response | mish mumkinmish mumkin | مـِش مـُمكـِن | not possible |
| response | la'laaC | لا َء | no |
| response | la' 'abadanlaaC aacbadaaN | لا َء أبـَداً | never! |
| response | 'ahaaacHaa | أحاَ | offensive way of disagreeing |
| response | Aafwaan?AafwaaN? | عـَفواً؟ | Pardon? if you didn't hear |
| response | 'ana mish 'akeedaacnaa mish aackyd | أنا َ مـِش أكيد | I m/f am not sure |
| response | 'ana mish Aaarifaacnaa mish Aaarif | أنا َ مـِش عا َر ِف | I m don't know |
| response | 'ana mish Aarfaaacnaa mish Aaarifao | أنا َ مـِش عا َر ِفـَة | I f don't know |
| response | 'ana mish faahimaacnaa mish faahim | أنا َ مـِش فا َهـِم | I m don't understand |
| response | 'ana mish fahmaaacnaa mish faahimao | أنا َ مـِش فا َهـِمـَة | I f don't understand |
Hassle
| 'imshiiicmshy! | إمشي | go away! |
| KalaaS kidahKalaaS kidah! | خـَلا َص كـِد َه | stop this |
| haraam AaleekHaraam Aalyk! | حـَرا َم عـَليك | shame on you m! |
| haraam AaleekiHaraam Aalyky! | حـَرا َم عـَليكي | shame on you f! |
| Kaleek muhtaramKalyk muHtaram | خـَليك مـُحتـَر َم | be respectful! if a man gets over-friendly to a woman |
| 'ihtirim nafsakiicHtirim nafsak | إحتـِر ِم نـَفسـَك |
Insults
| remark | humaarHumaar | حـُما َر | donkey offensive | |
| remark | 'ibn marahiicbn marah | إبن مـَر َه | your father is a woman very offensive | |
| remark | 'ibn sharmooTaiicbn sharmwTao | إبن شـَرموطـَة | son of a whore/bitch very offensive | |
| response | 'ifandim???iicfandim??? | إفـَند ِم؟؟؟ | pardon???? |