Egyptian Arabic: 18 Common Everyday Phrases and What They Mean

Egyptian Arabic grew up in the Nile Delta around Cairo. People speak it at home and hear it in Egyptian films and songs. Formal writing uses Modern Standard Arabic.

How Egyptian Arabic Changes Standard Arabic

Each row shows a Standard Arabic sentence and the way people in Cairo say it.

Greetings and Small Talk

People in Cairo say these all day. Some come in pairs: ask إزيك؟ and you'll often hear تمام back.

إزيك؟

How are you?Standard Arabic: كيف حالك؟It is spelled the same for a man or a woman, but the last vowel changes. To a group, say إزيكو؟

تمام

Fine, okayStandard Arabic: حسنًاA common reply to إزيك is تمام، الحمد لله, "fine, thank God".

كويس

Good, fineStandard Arabic: جيدFor a woman or a feminine noun it becomes كويسة. مش كويس means "not good".

اتفضل

Please, here you go, go aheadStandard Arabic: تفضّلA waiter says it when handing you the menu. It changes to اتفضلي for a woman.

معلش

Never mind, sorryStandard Arabic: لا بأسYou can say it to brush off a small problem or to apologize for one.

يلا

Let's go, come onStandard Arabic: هيا بناYou will also hear يلا بينا, which means the same thing.

خلاص

That's it, enough, okay thenStandard Arabic: انتهىIt can close a plan, as in خلاص، أشوفك بكره, "okay then, see you tomorrow". It can also mean "stop it!"

مفيش

There isn't, there's noStandard Arabic: لا يوجدمفيش مشكلة means "no problem".

Questions and Plans

You'll use these to ask prices and make plans.

فين؟

Where?Standard Arabic: أين؟الحمام فين؟ means "Where is the bathroom?"

إمتى؟

When?Standard Arabic: متى؟Some writers spell it امتى, without the hamza.

ليه؟

Why?Standard Arabic: لماذا؟Like other question words, it can come last: راح مصر ليه؟ means "Why did he go to Egypt?"

إيه؟

What?Standard Arabic: ماذا؟اسمك إيه؟ means "What's your name?" إيه ده؟ means "What's this?", and in an annoyed voice it means "What is all this?"

بكام؟

How much?Standard Arabic: بكم؟Point at something and say ده بكام؟ to ask its price.

عايز

I wantStandard Arabic: أريدA woman says عايزة. عايز تاكسي means "I need a taxi".

دلوقتي

NowStandard Arabic: الآنSome writers spell it دلوقتى, with a different last letter.

بكره

TomorrowStandard Arabic: غدًاYou will often hear بكره إن شاء الله, "tomorrow, God willing".

بعدين

LaterStandard Arabic: لاحقًاIt also means "afterwards", for the next step in a story.

أوي

Very, a lotStandard Arabic: جدًاIt goes after the word: شكرًا أوي means "thank you very much".

How Egyptian Arabic Sounds

Listen for three letters that change. ج is a hard sound like the "g" in "go" in Cairo and the north, though in Upper Egypt it stays closer to the standard sound. ق usually becomes a short catch in the throat, so قمر sounds like أمر. ث often turns into ت or س, so ثلاثة sounds like تلاتة.

You can hear Egyptian greetings in Easy Egyptian Arabic, Basic Phrases 1 from Easy Languages and Meeting Your Friend at a Cafe from Easy Arabic.

Practice Egyptian Arabic in Lessons

Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Bubblegum's Egyptian Arabic lessons at your level, in the Arabic people speak in Egypt. In her stories, people say دلوقتي for "now" and أوي for "very".

Courses and tutors for Egyptian Arabic each get their own section in our guide, best ways to learn Egyptian Arabic. If you are wondering about Duolingo, read Is Egyptian Arabic on Duolingo?

Common Questions