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 | sāmiḥ ni, or ma ta'akhiznīsh | |
| forgive me | ||
| 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.)[1] | |
| 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[2]! | |
| 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[3] | |
| 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[4] | |
| 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 | |
