# Egyptian Self-Taught/Conversational Phrases and Sentences

CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES AND SENTENCES.
Useful and Necessary Expressions.
| English. | | Arabic—Phonetic Pronunciation. |
| At last! | | akīran! |
| allow me | | ismaḥ li |
| are you hungry? | | inta ga'ān |
| be careful, open your eyes | | iftaḥ 'eynak |
| begone | | imshi |
| out with you! | | itl'a barra |
| by all means | | 'ala kulli ḥāl |
| certainly | | la budd, m'alūm, na'am |
| come back | | irg'a |
| come here | | ta'ala hena |
| come in | | idkhol, hūsh |
| do you hear? | | inta sām'a? |
| do you know? | | inta ārif, or ta'araf. |
| excuse me | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | sāmiḥ ni, or ma ta'akhiznīsh |
| forgive me | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | sāmiḥ ni, or ma ta'akhiznīsh |
| from here | | min hena |
| good-bye | | m'a es-salāmah |
| go away | | rūḥ min hena |
| go on | | imshi |
| give me | | iddī-ni, a'atī-ni |
| how many times? | | kām marrah? |
| holloa there! oh you! | | ya inta! |
| immediately (in this time) | | fil waqt, ḥālan |
| impossible! | | ma yumkinsh! |
| in front of | | qodām |
| in future (afterwards) | | fil qābil (ba'adeyn) |
| it means (i.e.) | | ya'ani |
| make haste | | qawām, bil 'agal |
| many thanks | | barakāt warsin ​ |
| never mind | | ma'aleysh |
| no | | lā |
| take care! | | 'oā! |
| tell me | | qul-ii |
| thanks | | shokr |
| thank you | | allāh yahfaz-ak |
| that's another thing | | deh shey tāni |
| the sooner the better (to-day, before to-morrow) | | en nahār deh qabl bukra |
| to the rear | | li wara |
| very bad | | radi, bil ḥamm |
| very much | | ketīr qāwi |
| very nice | | kwāyīs khālis |
| very often (much) | | ketīr |
| very well | | tāyyib, 'azīm |
| what? | | eysh huwa? or eysh deh? |
| what is this for? | | 'ala ey deh ? |
| what is this? | | deh ey deh? |
| who is there? | | mīn henak? |
| who is this? | | da mīn deh ? |
| why? | | ley? |
| yes | | na am, āywa |
| Simple and Practical Phrases. |||
| Alas! | | akhkh! |
| any news? | | fi khabar? |
| are you in a hurry? | | inta mista'agil? |
| as you like (to your pleasure) | | 'ala keyfak |
| bring a light here | | hāt nūr henā? |
| bring me | | gīb li, hāt-li |
| bring me a chair | | hāt kūrsi |
| call the servant | | inda el khaddām |
| come back | | erg'a |
| do not annoy me | | mā tiza'alnīsh |
| do not forget | | mā tinsāsh |
| don't tell him | | mā taqul-lūsh |
| do you think? | | inta tet'tekr? or inta tezunn? |
| do you understand? | | inta fāhim? or fahemt? |
| do as you please, please yourself | | bi khātiruk ​ |
| get up | | qūm |
| give him | | iddīh; iddī-lu |
| give him a second one | | iddīh (or iddī-lu) tāni |
| give me | | iddī-ni; a'atīni |
| give me a different one | | iddī-ni waḥid gheyr-u |
| give me a little of this | | iddī-ni shuwāyah min deh |
| go back | | erg 'a |
| go more slowly | | imshi bishweysh |
| go more quickly | | imshi bil 'agal |
| good evening | | leylt-ak sa'idah |
| good morning to you! | | sabah el-kheyr! or nehārak sa'id |
| he appealed (against the judgment of a Court of Justice) | | istanaf |
| he is a liar | | huwa kaddāb |
| he is drunk | | huwa sakrān |
| he is under my orders (hand) | | huwa taḥt 'eydi |
| he is very angry | | huwa zaalān ketīr |
| he is ill | | huwa 'ayyān |
| he learned Arabic by himself | | t'allam el 'arabi waḥid-u binafs-u |
| he told me | | huwa qāl-ni |
| hold your tongue,(shut up) (end) | | oskut (ikhlas) |
| how do you do? | | salamāt? or ez-zeykum? |
| how many? | | kām? or qad eyh? |
| how many piastres? | | kām qirsh? |
| how much? | | kām? |
| how much do you sell this (it) for? | | tibi'a deh bikām? |
| how must we go to ————? | | 'anhu et tarīq ila ————? |
| I am astonished | | ana mota'aggib |
| I am going | | ana rāiḥ |
| I am not able | | mā aqdersh |
| I cannot (it is not possible for me to) | | ma yumkinnīsh |
| I assure you | | ana a'akid lak |
| I have not | | mā 'andish |
| I am angry with you | | ana za'alān wāyyak |
| I am cold | | ana bardān ​ |
| I am hungry | | ana gā'an |
| I am not hungry | | ana mush ga'ān |
| I am tired | | ana t'aabān |
| I am not accustomed to it | | ana mā līsh 'adah fīh |
| I am wrong | | el haqq 'aleya |
| I cannot | | mā aqdarsh |
| I do not care | | ana mā 'ala bāli |
| I do not know | | mā 'arafsh |
| I do not speak the Arabic language | | mā atkallimsh el loghah el 'arabīeh |
| I cannot learn Arabic if you speak English | | mā aqdarsh at'alim 'arabi iza kān inta tetkallim bilingellīz |
| I have no appetite | | mā līsh nafs |
| I have no passport | | maā 'andiīsh tazkārah |
| I live at ——— | | anā sakin fi ——— |
| I never saw him | | mā shuftush abadan |
| I want | | ana 'awiz (or 'auz, or 'ayiz) |
| I want to buy | | ana 'awiz ishtiri |
| I will not (am not willing) | | ana mush rādi |
| if you please | | min fadlak |
| is everything ready? | | kull shey ḥāder ? |
| it is not necessary | | mush lāzim |
| it is your fault | | el-ḥaqq 'aleyk |
| it is not my fault | | ana mā 'andīsh 'eyb ("shame ") |
| I am mistaken | | ana ghaltān |
| it is raining hard | | yetmattar qāwi |
| it is too late | | wakhri ketīr |
| it is very hot | | ḥarr ketīr |
| keep to the right | | khallīk 'ala yimīnak |
| knock at the door | | ikhbat el bāb |
| lend me | | sallīf-ni |
| let me help you | | khallī-ni 'annak |
| light the candle | | walla esh shama'a |
| light the fire | | walla en-nār |
| lock the door | | iqfil al bāb bilkeylūn |
| make haste | | bil-'agal |
| my words have made no impression on him (he did not hear my word) | | kalāmi mā sama'ūsb |
| oh! how dirty you are | | ya! mā-inta wisekh ​ |
| open the door | | iftaḥ el bāb |
| permit me | | ismaḥ-li, or īzin-li |
| ring the bell | | rinn el garas, doqq el garas |
| shut the door | | iqfil el bab, rudd el bāb |
| sit down, please | | itfaddal oq'od |
| speak plainly | | itkallam bil'ali |
| speak the truth! | | qūi bil ḥaqq! |
| take care! no lies! | | ilitazar! mā takdibsh! |
| take it | | khud-u |
| tell him | | qūl-lu |
| tell the truth (it straight) | | qūl doghri |
| thank you | | kattar kheyrak |
| that's enough! | | bass! or bi-ziādah |
| there is no harm | | ma fīsh darar |
| they are all alike | | kullohum zey ba'ad |
| this annoys me very much | | deh yiza'alni ketīr |
| wait here | | istanna hena |
| wait until he comes | | istanna lihád mā yeygi |
| walk slowly | | imshi 'ala mahlak |
| we will eat | | 'āuzīn nākul |
| what are you doing? | | bit'amil eyh ? |
| what did he say? | | qāl eyh? |
| what does it contain? | | fīh eyh ? |
| what do you say? | | bitqūl eyh? |
| what do you want? | | 'āuz eyh? |
| what have you got? | | eyh 'andak? |
| what is that? | | eyh deh? |
| what is the difference? | | el fark eyh? |
| what is the matter? | | el khabar eyh? |
| what is the news? | | el khabar eyh? |
| what is this? | | eysh huwa? |
| what is to be done? | | el 'amal eyh? |
| what is your name? | | ismak eyh? |
| what is your opinion? | | takhmīnak eyh? |
| what makes you angry? | | inta za'alān leyh ? |
| what o'clock is it? | | es sa'ah kām? |
| what pay does he get? | | māhīyat-u kām ? ​ |
| what shall I do? | | ana a'mil izzay? |
| where are you? | | inta feyn? |
| where are you going? | | inta rāiḥ feyn? |
| where do you live? | | inta sākin feyn? |
| where is he now? | | huwa feyn dilwaqti |
| which house is yours? | | anhī beyt bit'aak? |
| which horse will you ride? | | anhu hosān tirkab? |
| will you allow me? | | tismah li? |
| will you oblige me? | | 'amil ma'arūf? |
| will you take this? | | tākhod deh? |
| who told you? | | mīn qāl lak? |
| you must go now | | lazim terūḥ dilwaqt |
| you are late | | inta ta,akhart |
| you are right (the truth is in your hands) | | el ḥaqq bi eydak |
| Directions to Workmen. |||
| Bring a hoe | | ḥāt turieh (u); ḥāt fas (l.) |
| bring a basket | | ḥāt ghalaq (muqtaf) |
| bring rope | | ḥāt habl |
| dig here | | ifhat hena |
| take from before you | | imsek min qodam |
| take from behind you | | imsek min wara |
| make it wider | | 'amal-u was'a ziādah |
| deeper yet | | ghawīt lissa |
| go down deeper | | inzel wāti lissa |
| go down to water | | inzel lil moyyah |
| go down to native earth | | inzel lil 'ard sāḥiḥ |
| go thus | | māshi keda |
| take care of it | | bishweysh min deh (lit., slowly with it) |
| leave it complete | | khallīh salīm |
| turn it over | | iqlib-u |
| do not break the bricks | | mā tiksar-ūsh et tūb |
| are there mud bricks or burnt bricks? | | fi tūb nāi āu tūb aḥmar ? ​ |
| work, oh boy! | | ishtaghal ya walad |
| pull; push | | shield or shil (carry) |
| turn it | | dāuwar-u |
| come and measure the work | | ta'ala qīs esh-shoghl |
| but measure it | | m'teqls-u |
| how much are the wages? | | el ograh kām? |
| the work is by the day | | esh shoghl bil yom |
| ,,,,measure | | ,,,, bil qiās |
| this is very tough | | deh yābis khālas |
| I cannot lift it up | | mā aqdarsh ashīl-u |
| it is needful to have more men | | lazim nās ziādah |
| ornament (-ed) | | rasm (mersūm) |
| inscription (inscribed) | | kitābah (maktub) |
| mound of ruins | | kom, or tell |
| potsherds | | shuqf |
| cemetery | | gabbánah |
| grave | | turbah, plu. turab |
| Travel Talk. — Arrival. |||
| I want a boat | | 'auz wāḥed felūkkah |
| this is not big enough for us | | deh mush kebīr bil kifāyah 'ala shān-na |
| no! it will not do | | la! ma yenf'ash |
| can you take our luggage with you? | | teqdar tākhod el 'afsh bit'a na wāyyak? |
| certainly, sir | | ommāl ya sīdi! |
| I will bring you a porter | | agīb lak wāḥed shāyyāl |
| he can carry the lot by himself; he is strong | | yeqdar yeshīl kullu bi nafs-u; karro |
| he has a cart, too | | huwa gad'a |
| there is first the custom-house examination | | 'andu kaman wahed 'arabīeh auwalan fi taftīsh el gumruk |
| we will go in the carriage | | eḥna nerūḥ fil 'arabīeh ​ |
| you must come with us | | lāzim inta teygi wāyyā-na |
| tell me how much the fare is | | qul-li el ograh bi kām |
| how much is the fare to the station? | | bi kām el ograh lil maḥattah? |
| each person four piastres | | kul shakhs arb'aa qurūsh |
| and the porter, how much? | | wa'sh shāyyāl, kām? |
| he is entitled to ask two piastres, and is asking for baqshish because it is hot and the luggage is heavy | | ḥaqq-u [his right] qirsh-eyn, wa huwa biyet-lob baqshīsh 'ala shān ḥarr ketīr wa'l 'afsh teqīl |
| is the luggage correct? | | el 'afsh tamām ? |
| eleven pieces | | had'ashra hittah |
| you left one in the steamer | | inta fūt wāḥedah fil wabūr |
| you must send the porter to enquire about it | | lāzim tirsel esh-shāyyāl yis,āl 'an-u |
| there! [by God] I quite forgot it, sir [0 my master] | | w'allah ! ana nesīt-u khālas ya sīdi |
| thank goodness!—someone is bringing it now | | el ḥamdu l'illah! fi ḥad biyegīb-u dilwāqti |
| The Railway. |||
| Is the station far? | | el maḥhattah ba'id ? |
| no; a quarter of an hour's distance only | | la ; masāfah rob'a s'aah bass |
| when does the train go? | | el wābur yesāfir imta ? |
| in half-an-hour | | b'ad [after] nūss sa'ah |
| anyhow, it will not start before the mails come | | 'ala kulli ḥal ma yesafírsb qabli ma teygi el bosta |
| we need not hurry then | | mush lāzim nist'agil baqa ​ |
| please go and get the tickets | | min fadlak rūḥ wa gīb et tazākir |
| I want four first-class | | 'auz arb'aa meḥellāt daragah ula |
| there is a ticket short | | fi tazkārah nāqes |
| never mind! I will bring you another | | m'aleysh I agīb lak kamān wāḥedah |
| and the money; is it right? | | w'al filūs, tamām? [complete] |
| one piastre is bad | | wāhed qirsh batāl |
| [by the life of your father] I swear it is good | | wā hāyat abūk! huwa tāyyib |
| you are right, it is only old | | lak haqq, huwa qadīm bass |
| I would like to ask the interpreter | | ana biddi is, āl et tergumān |
| there is no need to | | mā fīsh lezūm |
| I will ascertain from him, all the same | | ana istáfhem min-u bardu |
| the luggage goes without extra charge | | el 'afsh yerūḥ ballāsh |
| no! I have paid 15 piastres; here's the receipt | | lā ana dof 'aat khamast'ashrah qirsh; ahó el wasl |
| I wish you a good journey | | m'a es salāmah I (lit. with safety) |
| you are travellers | | ḥadrétkum musāfirīn |
| how long have you been in Egypt? | | baqa lakum kām yom fi berr Masr? |
| we arrived only today | | wasálna en nehār deh bass |
| are you going to Cairo? | | intum rāyḥin fi Masr ? |
| we shall stay there four days waiting for the steamer | | noqod henāk arb'at eyyām, mustannīn el wabūr |
| it is not enough; you require 2 or 3 weeks at least | | ma yekfīsh; lāzim aqall guma'ateyn telātah |
| our intention is to see everything before we go back to England | | qasdéna neshūf kullu qabli ma nirg'a fil bilād el ingelīz ​ |
| good; perhaps I shall see you when you return from Upper Egypt | | -kwāy-īs; insha,allah ashūf-kum lamma tirga'u min es Sa'id |
| please God! | | insha, allah! |
| An Excursion. |||
| Wake me early in the morning | | saḥī-ni badri es subḥ |
| we are going to see the | | eḥna rāyḥīn neshūf el āḥram bukra |
| Pyramids to-morrow do you want me to get the donkeys ready? | | ḥadrétak 'auz in-ni aḥaddar el ḥemīr? |
| perhaps we shall go in a carriage, but anyhow we shall take food with us | | yumkin nerūh fi 'arabīeh, walakin 'ala kulli ḥāl nākhod ākl wāyyā-na |
| yes, sir; everything will be all right | | ḥādir ya sīdi, kulli shey yibqa tamām |
| you must take the necessaries for tea | | lāzim takhod el ashya el lowāzimah li shāi |
| the teapot, the spirit, matches and everything must be wrapped in paper | | el abrīq, es sbirīt, kabrīt, wa lāzim kullu yitlaff fi waraq |
| I have wrapped up everything and put it into the basket | | ana laffeyt kullu wa ḥotteyt-u fil qafas |
| we can buy oranges and melons on the way | | yumkínna nishteri bortoqān wa shammām (or batīkh) wa ehna fi sikkah |
| good; do not forget the wine | | taāyyib ; ma tinsāsh en nebīd |
| we want to go up the Pyramids | | biddínna nitl'a el āḥram |
| just as you wish, sir | | zey ma terīd (or keyfak), effendim |
| it is not difficult, but it tires one | | deh mush sa'ab, walakin yit'ab el insān (man) |
| I will bring two men to go up with you | | agīb rāgileyn yitl'au wāyya ḥadrétak |
| this is not necessary | | deh mush darūri ​ |
| I am strong and can go up alone | | ana gāmid wa aqdar atl'a bi nafs-i |
| get the tea ready at once | | ḥaddar esh shāi ḥālan |
| the horse is going lame, and is very tired | | el hosān biy 'urog wa ta'abān ketir |
| the driver is beating the horse without any reason | | el arbaggi biyídrab el hosān bidūn sabab |
| he knows his business | | y'araf shoghl-u |
| he is not cruel | | Luwa mush qāsi |
| another time I will take someone else | | tāni marrah ākhod wāḥed gheyr-u |
| they are all alike | | kullohum zey ba'ad |
| have you made an account of what you have spent? | | 'amilt ḥisāb min el felūs (money) illi saráft-u ? |
| On The Nile |||
| I have seen the dahabieh, and it is a very fine boat | | ana shuft ed dahabīeh wa hiya merkeb 'aal |
| have you brought all the luggage down? | | nazzált kul el 'afsh? |
| have you brought the vegetables and mutton, fowls and eggs; also provisions for the crew? | | ishtereyt el khodārāt wa lahm dāni, wa firākh wa beyd; wa t'ayyināt lil merākbīeh |
| if the wind is not enough, we must use the oars | | iza kan el hāuwa (or er rīḥ) mush kāfi, lazim nist-'aamil el maqādīf |
| the weather is beautiful | | el hāuwa kwāy-īs |
| can we land and see the town after sunset? | | yumkínna ninzel neshūf el balad deb, b'ad el maghreb? |
| as you wish, sir; but the people here are bad | | zey ma terīd ḥadrétak, walākin en nās hena- batālīn |
| we are not afraid | | eḥna mush khāifīn ​ |
| if you walk on this side of the town, there is no objection | | iza timshi nahayādeh min el balad, ma fīsh ba,as |
| I wonder where the boat is! | | el merkeb feyn ya tara! |
| there it is, south of the town, on the east bank | | ahó, qibli min el balad, 'ala taraf esh sharqi |
| to-morrow we will go shooting together | | bukra neruūḥ lis-seyd sāua sāua |
| there are pigeons and quail and sometimes sandgrouse | | fī ḥammām wa simān wa ba'ad el aḥyān qatt'a |
| I want someone to carry the cartridges and the basket with the food | | 'auz wāhed ragil yeshīl el fishénk wa'l qafas bil ākl |
| you will keep (walking) on the right and I in the middle | | tekūn inta māshi 'ala el yemīn wa ana fil wust |
| quail are always to be found in the wheat | | es simān tamálli māugūdīn fi'l qamḥ |
| you keep behind me and be silent | | khallīk warā-ni wa oskot |
| I hit it; go and look for it | | ana sībt-u ; rūḥ dauwar 'aleyh |
| I am tired, and it is very late | | ana t'aabān wa wakhri ketīr |
| we have had good luck | | bakhténa (our luck) tāyyib |
| it is nearly six, and we are hungry | | sa'ah sitteh taqrīban wa eḥna ga'anīn |
| the Berberines are good fellows, and thoroughly acquainted with the river | | el Barābra nās (people) tāyyibīn wa 'arifīn el bāḥr bil kullīeh |
| certainly, they work hard, and are not lazy | | ma'alūm, yishtaghalu gíddan wa mush kaslānlīn |
| they are asking for their pay | | humma tālibīn el mahīyah bit'aéthum |
| it is not due yet | | lissa mush wafā ​ |
| that is true, but they want to buy things for the fantasia | saḥīḥ, walākin bidduhum yishterū ḥāgāt lil fantasīeh |
| if this is the case there is no objection | fī hāza el ḥāl, ma fīsh mān'a |
| they are very pleased; and I too would like to serve you all my life | humma mabsutīn khālas; wa ana kamān 'auz akhdam hãdrétak tūl 'umr-i |
| perhaps we will go together another time | yumkin nerūḥ sāua sāua marrah tāniah |
| please God I will go south with your excellency next year | insha, allah arūḥ qibli wāyya jenābak es senah illi gāyah |
| will you give me a testimonial, please? | tiddĩ-ni shehādah min fadlak? |
| God keep you! | alláh yaḥfázak |
| good-bye! | m'a es salāmah |
* ↑ See p. 12.
* ↑ Ommāl corresponds to "Rather! I should think so."
* ↑ Gad'a (lit., brave). Used politely when calling out to any man, especially in the streets, to make way.
* ↑ Hittah (sing.). Beyond ten the singular is always used.