Verbs
A verb tells you what is happening- for example, reading, walking etc. In Egyptian, the general meaning of a word is defined by the consonants, and several related words may contain this set of letters. For example, the letters ktb are used to make the words write, type, book, writer, written, writing, office and desk. The exact meaning is affected by the vowels, prefixes and suffixes (extra bits at the beginning and the end). Here are some of the ways the exact meaning can change for verbs:
- tense - when something happens (past, present, future)
- case - who is doing it (I, you, he, etc)
- mode - must, could etc
- pronouns - who is doing it, who is having it done to them
- negation - say something is NOT happening
Most of the examples in this chapter use the verb katabkatab كـَتـَب, which means write: about 30% of verbs follow this pattern.
The web site www.lisaanmasry.org and the apps that you can download from the web site all provide full details for the majority of verbs.
Pronouns
There are three main types of pronouns that can be used with verbs:
- subject - I, we, you, he, she, it, they
- object - me, us, you, him, her, it, them
- indirect object - to me, to us, to you, to him, to her, to it, to them
In Egyptian, the subject pronoun is a separate word before the verb: the object and indirect object pronouns are attached to the end of the verb. Here are a some examples:
| Pronoun | English | Egyptian |
| Subject | I know Ahmed |  'ana Aaarif 'ahmadaacnaa Aaarif aacHmadأنا َ عا َر ِف أحمـَد |
| Subject, object | I know him | 'ana Aarfuhaacnaa Aaarifuh أنا َ عا َر ِف ُه |
| Object | Ahmed saw her yesterday | 'ahmad shafha 'imbaarihaacHmad shaaf-haa iicmbaariH أحمـَد شا َفها َ إمبا َر ِح |
| Object | Sarah knows him | saara Aarfahsaarao Aaarifah سا َر َة عا َر ِف َه |
| Object, Indirect | give it to me! | iddeehooliiiddy-hw-ly ا ِدّيهولي |
Subject pronoun
The subject pronoun appears before the verb or participle.
| English | Egyptian |
| I | 'anaaacnaa أناَ |
| we | 'ihnaiicHnaa إحناَ |
| you(m) | 'intaiicnta إنتَ |
| you(f) | 'intiiicnti إنتِ |
| you(pl) | 'intuiicntoo إنتوا |
| he/it(m) | huwwahuwwa هـُوَّ |
| she/it(f) | hiyahiya هـِيَ |
| they | hummahumma هـُمَّ |
Object pronoun
You can attach an object pronoun (for example me or him) to the end of an imperative, verb or participle. See pronouns for more information.
'ahmad biyihsadniaacHmad biyiHsad-ny| English | Suffix |
| me | -ni_ny ـني |
| us | -na_naa ـناَ |
| you(m) | -ak_ak ــَك |
| you(f) | -ik_ik ــِك |
| you(pl) | -kum_kum ـكـُم |
| him/it(m) | -uh_uh ــُه |
| her/it(f) | -ha_haa ـهاَ |
| them | -hum_hum ـهـُم |
If there is an -i-_i_ ــِ before the last consonant and the suffix starts with a vowel, the -i-_i_ ــِ is dropped. If the verb requires a preposition (to, from etc) the object goes on the preposition.
Here are some examples:
| English | Egyptian |
| show me! | warreeniwarry-ny و َرّيني |
| nobody helped us | mahaddish saaAidnamaHaddish saaAid-naa مـَحـَدّ ِش سا َعـِدنا َ |
| I saw you(m) | 'ana shuftakaacnaa shuftak أنا َ شـُفت َك |
| I love you(f) | 'ana bahibbikaacnaa baHibbik أنا َ بـَحـِبّ ِك |
| I know him | 'ana Aarfuhaacnaa Aaarif-uh أنا َ عا َر ِف ُه |
| I told them | 'ana 'ultilhumaacnaa qultil-hum أنا َ قـُلتـِلهـُم |
Indirect object
Some verbs require two objects- for example:
iddeehaaliiiddy-haa-lyIt is the direct object and to me is the indirect object. The indirect object suffixes are as follows:
| English | Suffix |
| to me | -li_ly ـلي |
| to us | -lina_linaa ـلـِناَ |
| to you(m) | -lak_lak ـلـَك |
| to you(f) | -lik_lik ـلـِك |
| to you(pl) | -luku_luku ـلـُكُ |
| to him/it(m) | -lu_lu ـلُ |
| to her/it(f) | -laha_lahaa ـلـَهاَ |
| to them | -luhum_luhum ـلـُهـُم |
Tenses
In both English and Egyptian, a verb has different tenses to indicate when something happens- in the past, now or in the future. The usage of each tense will be explained in more detail later. Here are some examples using katabkatab كـَتـَب:
| Form | Example | Meaning | No of cases |
| perfect | katabkatab كـَتـَب | he wrote | 8 (i/we/you, etc) |
| simple imperfect | yiktibyiktib يـِكتـِب | used with modals - eg he must write and kaankaan كا َن - he used to write | 8 (i/we/you, etc) |
| bi-imperfect | biyiktibbiyiktib بـِيـِكتـِب | he is writing he writes he knows how to write used with kaankaan كا َن conditionals: if I had a pen, I would write | 8 (i/we/you, etc) |
| ha-imperfect | hayiktibhayiktib هـَيـِكتـِب | he will write used with kaankaan كا َن | 8 (i/we/you, etc) |
| active participle | kaatabkaatab كا َتـَب | (he is) writing | 3 (m/f/pl) |
| passive participle | maktoobmaktwb مـَكتوب | (it is) written | 3 (m/f/pl) |
| imperative | iktibiiktib ا ِكتـِب | write! | 3 (m/f/pl) |
| polite request | miktibmiktib مـِكتـِب | will you please write | |
| verbal noun | kitaabakitaabao كـِتا َبـَة | (the box is covered with) writing | 2 (s/pl) |
| place | maktabmaktab مـَكتـَب | writing place (desk or office) | 2 (s/pl) |
Case
The two main tenses of a verb are the perfect and the simple imperfect: the bi-and ha- imperfect just have prefixes added to the simple imperfect. The usage of these tenses will be explained in more detail in the section on time. Here is the he case of each tense:
| Tense | English | Egyptian |
| perfect | he wrote | huwwa katabhuwwa katab هـُوّ َ كـَتـَب |
| simple imperfect | he must write | huwwa laazim yiktibhuwwa laazim yiktib هـُوّ َ لا َز ِم يـِكتـِب |
| bi-imperfect | he writes | huwwa biyiktibhuwwa biyiktib هـُوّ َ بـِيـِكتـِب |
| ha-imperfect | he will write | huwwa hayiktibhuwwa hayiktib هـُوّ َ هـَيـِكتـِب |
There are eight possible cases for each tense, corresponding to the eight pronoun forms (I/we/you/he, etc). Remember that the three imperfect forms are very similar.
Perfect
Here is an example of the perfect, which is used for things that occurred in the past.
| Perfect | ||
| English | Pronoun | Verb |
| I wrote | 'anaaacnaa أناَ | katabtkatabt كـَتـَبت |
| we wrote | 'ihnaiicHnaa إحناَ | katabnakatabnaa كـَتـَبنا َ |
| you(m) wrote | 'intaiicnta إنتَ | katabtkatabt كـَتـَبت |
| you(f) wrote | 'intiiicnti إنتِ | katabtikatabty كـَتـَبتي |
| you(pl) wrote | 'intuiicntoo إنتوا | katabtukatabtoo كـَتـَبتو ا |
| he/it(m) wrote | huwwahuwwa هـُوَّ | katabkatab كـَتـَب |
| she/it(f) wrote | hiyahiya هـِيَ | katabitkatabit كـَتـَب ِت |
| they wrote | hummahummaa هـُمّاَ | katabukataboo كـَتـَبو ا |
Simple imperfect
The imperfect has no meaning on its own, but is used with other verbal forms in five ways:
- with kaankaan كا َن for things that happened in the past
- with 'iza kaaniicdhaa kaan إذا َ كا َن for conditionals
- with modals- must, could, should etc and modal verbs- like, going to.
- with bi-prefix for things happening now
- with ha-prefix for things that will happen
Here is an example with laazimlaazim لا َز ِم, which means must.
| Simple Imperfect | |||
| English | Pronoun | modal | Verb |
| I must write | 'anaaacnaa أناَ | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | 'aktibaacktib أكتـِب |
| we must write | 'ihnaiicHnaa إحناَ | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | niktibniktib نـِكتـِب |
| you(m) must write | 'intaiicnta إنتَ | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | tiktibtiktib تـِكتـِب |
| you(f) must write | 'intiiicnti إنتِ | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | tiktibitiktiby تـِكتـِبي |
| you(pl) must write | 'intuiicntoo إنتوا | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | tiktibutiktiboo تـِكتـِبو ا |
| he/it(m) must write | huwwahuwwa هـُوَّ | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | yiktibyiktib يـِكتـِب |
| she/it(f) must write | hiyahiya هـِيَ | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | tiktibtiktib تـِكتـِب |
| they must write | hummahummaa هـُمّاَ | laazimlaazim لا َز ِم | yiktibuyiktiboo يـِكتـِبو ا |
The English words must and might and the equivalent Egyptian words laazimlaazim لا َز ِم and yimkinyimkin يـِمكـِن are proper modals: they are the same for all cases. Later on, you will see how to use participles and verbs in the same way as modals, and you will see that they do change to match the case.
bi-imperfect
For the majority of verbs, the bi-imperfect is used to describe things happening now, and for habitual actions. See active participles for the exceptions
It is the same as the simple imperfect, with a bi-bi_ بـِ in front. Note that the vowels in the the beginning of the imperfect may change in some verbs when the prefix is added.
| bi-imperfect | ||
| English | Pronoun | Verb |
| I write | 'anaaacnaa أناَ | baktibbaktib بـَكتـِب |
| we write | 'ihnaiicHnaa إحناَ | biniktibbiniktib بـِنـِكتـِب |
| you(m) write | 'intaiicnta إنتَ | bitiktibbitiktib بـِتـِكتـِب |
| you(f) write | 'intiiicnti إنتِ | bitiktibibitiktiby بـِتـِكتـِبي |
| you(pl) write | 'intuiicntoo إنتوا | bitiktibubitiktiboo بـِتـِكتـِبو ا |
| he/it(m) writes | huwwahuwwa هـُوَّ | biyiktibbiyiktib بـِيـِكتـِب |
| she/it(f) writes | hiyahiya هـِيَ | bitiktibbitiktib بـِتـِكتـِب |
| they write | hummahummaa هـُمّاَ | biyiktibubiyiktiboo بـِيـِكتـِبو ا |
ha-imperfect
The ha-imperfect is used for things that will happen at some time in the future.
It is the same as the simple imperfect, with ha-ha_ هـَ in front. Egyptian spelling is somewhat whimsical: some people use ha-Ha_ حـَ instead. Note that the vowels in the the beginning of the imperfect may change in some verbs when the prefix is added.
| ha-imperfect | ||
| English | Pronoun | Verb |
| I will write | 'anaaacnaa أناَ | haktibhaktib هـَكتـِب |
| we will write | 'ihnaiicHnaa إحناَ | haniktibhaniktib هـَنـِكتـِب |
| you(m) will write | 'intaiicnta إنتَ | hatiktibhatiktib هـَتـِكتـِب |
| you(f) will write | 'intiiicnti إنتِ | hatiktibihatiktiby هـَتـِكتـِبي |
| you(pl) will write | 'intuiicntoo إنتوا | hatiktibuhatiktiboo هـَتـِكتـِبو ا |
| he/it(m) will write | huwwahuwwa هـُوَّ | hayiktibhayiktib هـَيـِكتـِب |
| she/it(f) will write | hiyahiya هـِيَ | hatiktibhatiktib هـَتـِكتـِب |
| they will write | hummahummaa هـُمّاَ | hayiktibuhayiktiboo هـَيـِكتـِبو ا |
is/was/will be
As mentioned earlier, there is no word for is in Egyptian. There are, however, words for was - kaankaan كا َن and will be - haykoonhaykwn هـَيكون.
kaan
kaankaan كا َن can be used on its own to talk about some situation in the past, or it can be used with the imperfect and bi-imperfect to move the meaning of the verb into the past and also for conditionals, and with the ha-imperfect to indicate something that almost or nearly happened.
| kaan | ||
| English | Pronoun | Verb |
| I was | aanaaanaa ا َناَ | kuntkunt كـُنت |
| we were | ihnaiiHnaa ا ِحناَ | kunnakunnaa كـُنّاَ |
| you(m) were | 'intaiicnta إنتَ | kuntkunt كـُنت |
| you(f) were | 'intiiicnti إنتِ | kuntikunty كـُنتي |
| you(pl) were | 'intuiicntoo إنتوا | kuntukuntoo كـُنتوا |
| he/it(m) was | huwahuwa هـُوَ | kaankaan كا َن |
| she/it(f) was | hiyahiya هـِيَ | kaanitkaanit كا َنـِت |
| they were | hummahummaa هـُمّاَ | kanukaanoo كا َنوا |
Here are some examples:
| English | Egyptian | |
| he was here | kaan hinakaan hinaa كا َن هـِناَ | |
| I was too tired | kunt taAbaan 'awikunt taAbaan qawy كـُنت تـَعبا َن قـَوي | |
| the party was good | ilhafla kaanit kuwayisaiil-Haflao kaanit kuwayisao ا ِلحـَفلـَة كا َنـِت كـُو َيـِسـَة | |
| preposition | there was water, but it's finished | kaan fi mayaah wa KilSitkaan fy mayaah wa KilSit كا َن في مـَيا َه و َ خـِلصـِت |
| preposition | we had a house | kaan Aandina biytkaan Aandinaa biyt كا َن عـَند ِنا َ بـِيت |
| bi-imperfect | he was smoking a cigarette | kaan biyishrab seegaarakaan biyishrab sygaarao كا َن بـِيـِشر َب سيجا َر َة |
| bi-imperfect | he used to smoke cigarettes | kaan biyishrab sigaayarkaan biyishrab sigaayar كا َن بـِيـِشر َب سـِجا َيـَر |
| ha-imperfect | I almost ran him over | kunt hadoosuhkunt hadws-uh كـُنت هـَدوسـُه |
Note that, for prepositional sentences, kaankaan كا َن does not change with the subject of the sentence - it is always kaankaan كا َن - it was.
haykwn
haykoonhaykwn هـَيكون simply means will be. Here are some examples:
| haykwn | ||
| English | Pronoun | verb |
| I will be | aanaaanaa ا َناَ | hakoonhakwn هـَكون |
| we will be | ihnaiiHnaa ا ِحناَ | hankoonhankwn هـَنكون |
| you(m) will be | 'intaiicnta إنتَ | hatkoonhatkwn هـَتكون |
| you(f) will be | 'intiiicnti إنتِ | hatkoonihatkwny هـَتكوني |
| you(pl) will be | 'intuiicntoo إنتوا | hatkoonuhatkwnoo هـَتكونوا |
| he/it(m) will be | huwahuwa هـُوَ | haykoonhaykwn هـَيكون |
| she/it will be(f) | hiyahiya هـِيَ | hatkoonhatkwn هـَتكون |
| they will be | hummahummaa هـُمّاَ | haykoonuhaykwnoo هـَيكونوا |