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 lillahا ِ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???? |