Egyptian Arabic, or Masri, is the everyday Arabic of Egypt, spoken in cities like Cairo and Alexandria. Egypt has about 118 million people, and more than 80 million of them speak Egyptian Arabic as a first language. Egyptian films and music helped make it the Arabic dialect that people across the Arab world understand best. Modern Standard Arabic is Egypt's official language and is used for documents, school books, and formal speech, while Egyptian Arabic is what people speak at home and on the street.
Many Arabic apps teach Modern Standard Arabic, so this guide gathers the apps, books, and courses made for Egyptian Arabic. For the apps that cover Arabic more broadly, see our Arabic app comparison. Here are the Egyptian Arabic resources we found, grouped by what they help you do. You can start with one and add another when you need it.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
Bubblegum suits learners who want Egyptian Arabic built around their own lives. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you want to learn. She writes lessons in Egyptian Arabic for your level and helps you understand the words and grammar. You can read and listen, and ask her about anything that is unclear. News and stories give you more Egyptian Arabic to read about the things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum does not replace real Egyptian voices. For recorded speakers, Mango and Pimsleur are the better fit, and for conversation, try the apps in Learn With People.
- Egyptian Arabic is its own journey in Bubblegum, with lessons written in Egyptian Arabic.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Egyptian Arabic about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Lesson audio uses AI voices, not recordings of Egyptian speakers.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- The free plan includes one new custom lesson each day.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches the Arabic Alphabet
Mobile
Follow an Egyptian Arabic Course
If you want someone to choose what comes next, start here.
Mango Languages
Mango Languages has a course made for Egyptian Arabic, and it builds each lesson outward from the opening conversation, so you practice what you would actually say. Check your local library first, since many libraries include Mango.
- Each lesson opens with a conversation between native speakers.
- Grammar Notes, Culture Notes, and a voice comparison tool for your pronunciation.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Kaleela
Kaleela has a course made for Egyptian Arabic, alongside courses for MSA and four other dialect groups. Short exercises practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Its separate alphabet course can help you learn the letters first.
- Separate MSA and Egyptian Arabic courses, so you choose your variety.
- Grammar, comprehension, and alphabet lessons alongside speaking practice.
- Teaches the Arabic Alphabet
Mobile
Practice Speaking and Listening
Pimsleur
Pimsleur lessons are audio, so you can start speaking before you read much. Its Egyptian Arabic course teaches the Cairo dialect and adds a short introduction to reading.
- 30 audio lessons of about 30 minutes each, recorded with native speakers.
- A Voice Coach gives hands-free pronunciation practice.
MobileWeb
Glossika
Glossika trains you with whole sentences. You listen to each one, practice saying it, and see it again when it is time to review. You can take a placement test or start from zero.
- More than 5,000 words and sentences, from A1 to C1.
- Native speaker audio with spaced repetition.
MobileWeb
ArabicPod101
ArabicPod101 has Egyptian Arabic pathways alongside its other Arabic lessons. Choose one marked Egyptian Arabic, such as its Level 3 course, to keep studying the variety you want.
- Audio and video lessons taught by real teachers.
- Lesson notes explain the words and grammar in each dialogue.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
Drops
Drops teaches Egyptian Arabic through short, playful games. It suits learners who want to build a bank of words they can recognize.
- Five-minute word games with simple pictures to help you remember.
- Clear audio that lets you hear each word.
Mobile
uTalk
uTalk helps you learn Masri words with games and audio. You listen to native speakers, record yourself copying them, and compare the two.
- More than 2,500 everyday words and phrases across 60+ topics.
- Recorded by native Egyptian speakers.
MobileWeb
Learn With People
A tutor can teach you and correct you while you speak.
italki
italki profiles show how long a tutor has taught Egyptian Arabic and which levels they teach. Some tutors focus on conversational Egyptian Arabic.
- Choose a tutor listed under Arabic (Egyptian) and book lessons around your schedule.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Preply
Preply has a page for Egyptian Arabic tutors. Read profiles and watch intro videos to find a tutor who fits your level and goals.
- One-on-one lessons with tutors who teach Egyptian Arabic.
- Compare tutors by profile, reviews, and intro video.
MobileWeb
Books, Videos, and Free Courses
Kallimni 'Arabi Bishweesh from AUC Press is a beginner's course in spoken Egyptian Arabic, with online audio recorded by Egyptian speakers, and the American University in Cairo uses it in its own Egyptian Arabic courses. Lingualism publishes Egyptian Arabic readers with audio, including an easy reader with more than 50 short texts and English translations, and Mido, ten stories about life in Cairo for A2 to B1 learners. The Easy Arabic YouTube channel has street interviews in Egypt with Arabic and English subtitles. For a free course with ebooks and audio, Live Lingua offers the Defense Language Institute's Egyptian Arabic modules, which start with greetings and meeting people, and it needs no sign-up.
Learn Egyptian Arabic in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings. Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| Mango Languages | 2 | Full list |
| Pimsleur | 3 | Full list |
| Glossika | 2 | Full list |
| Drops | 16 | Full list |
| uTalk | 1 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
| ArabicPod101 | 1 | Full list |
| Kaleela | 1 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (12)
- Talk In ArabicVideo and audio lessons with transcripts, recorded by Egyptian speakers, made for independent learners.
- KMA – Learn Egyptian ArabicEach lesson has five words or phrases, with flashcards, native audio, and dialogues, plus an AI tutor named Kemo you can talk to by voice or chat. You can read in Arabic script or in Latin letters. It is new and growing.
- Bluebird: Egyptian ArabicVideo lessons on 2,000 high-frequency words and the top 100 verbs, narrated in any of 146 languages, with spaced repetition.
- Easy Egyptian ArabicA phrasebook of 1,000 words and sentences in 14 topics, made by two Egyptian translators, where you can record yourself and compare.
- TalkpalAn AI tutor you can chat with by text or voice, with speech recognition for pronunciation feedback and Egyptian Arabic guides on its site.
- Memrise word listsWord lists made by other learners, which you can study on the separate Community Courses website.
- HelloTalkA language exchange app with a page of language partners in Egypt, so you can chat with Egyptian speakers by text, voice, or video.
- El Mumtaaz ArabicA research-based beginner course in contemporary Egyptian Arabic from the University of Arizona, with culture up front.
- Arabic with HamidA free online course called Egyptian 101.
- Arab AcademyOnline Egyptian colloquial Arabic courses with interactive lessons taught by native speakers.
- International House CairoFully online Arabic courses, including a combined course that covers both Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Arabic.
- Anchor Language InstituteEgyptian Colloquial Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic classes from Cairo and Aswan, with courses available online.
Common Questions
Should I learn Egyptian Arabic or Modern Standard Arabic first?
Start with Egyptian Arabic if you want to talk with people in Egypt or follow Egyptian films and shows. Start with Modern Standard Arabic if you want to read news and books. Many Arabic apps, including Duolingo, teach Modern Standard Arabic, so check that a course says Egyptian Arabic before you begin. If you are curious about another spoken variety, see our guide to Moroccan Arabic (Darija).
Can I learn Egyptian Arabic for free?
Yes. The Defense Language Institute's Egyptian Arabic modules on Live Lingua are free, with ebooks and audio and no sign-up. The Easy Arabic YouTube channel is free, many libraries give free access to Mango, and Glossika gives 7 days of audio training for free. Bubblegum's lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. You can read the free lesson library and ask Poppy for one new custom lesson each day on iPhone and Android. Become a Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons and to support our team.
Sources
- Egyptian Arabic (speakers, where it is spoken, and its place next to Modern Standard Arabic)
- AUC Press: Kallimni 'Arabi Bishweesh
- World Bank: Population, total (Egypt, Arab Rep.)
- Duolingo: What Are Arabic Dialects, and What Are Differences Between Them?
- Live Lingua: DLI Egyptian Arabic courses
- Mango Languages for libraries
- Glossika: Learn Egyptian Arabic
- ArabicPod101: current iPhone listing
- Innovative Language: mobile app study tools
- Kaleela: features and access
- Kaleela: current iPhone listing
- Arabic learner discussion: Kaleela
- Bubblegum
- Mango Languages
- Pimsleur
- ArabicPod101
- Drops
- uTalk
- italki
- Preply
Checked on October 5, 2026 against each app's own pages.
