Talking to a man or a woman
Many phrases change with who you're talking to: ezzayak to a man, ezzayik to a woman; law samaht or law samahti.
Egyptian Arabic course · 27 languages in one app
Learn Egyptian Arabic, the Arabic people actually speak
Textbooks teach Modern Standard Arabic. In Cairo, at the market and in Egyptian films, people speak Egyptian. Talvo teaches Egyptian Arabic as its own course, in Arabic script with romanization, and comes with a live interpreter for the conversations you can't wait for.
First lesson free · iPhone and Mac, one subscription
Egyptian Arabic vs Modern Standard Arabic
They share an alphabet and many words, but everyday speech is different. A few examples:
| Meaning | Egyptian | Modern Standard |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? (to a man) | ازيك؟ezzayak? | كيف حالك؟kayfa haaluk? |
| What? | إيه؟eh? | ماذا؟maadha? |
| I want | عايز'aayez | أريدureed |
| Now | دلوقتيdilwa'ti | الآنal-aan |
| Coffee | قهوة'ahwa | قهوةqahwa |
| How much? | بكام؟bikaam? | بكم؟bikam? |
Ten Egyptian Arabic phrases to start with
Say these out loud a few times and you can already greet people, shop and say thank you. For 40 more, see our Egyptian Arabic phrases for travelers.
| Arabic | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| أهلاً | ahlan | Hello |
| ازيك؟ | ezzayak? / ezzayik? | How are you?To a man / to a woman |
| الحمد لله | el-hamdu lillah | Fine, thank GodThe usual answer to “how are you?” |
| شكراً | shukran | Thank you |
| لو سمحت | law samaht / law samahti | Please / Excuse meTo a man / to a woman |
| أيوه / لأ | aywa / la' | Yes / No |
| بكام ده؟ | bikaam da? | How much is this? |
| غالي أوي | ghaali awi | That's too expensive |
| مش فاهم | mish faahem / mish fahma | I don't understandSaid by a man / by a woman |
| مع السلامة | ma'a s-salama | Goodbye |
An apostrophe (') marks a short catch in the throat, as in the middle of uh-oh. Double vowels (aa, ii) are long.
A conversation you'll practice
A typical exchange at a market in Cairo: ask the price, say it's too much, and settle on less.
Youبكام ده؟bikaam da?How much is this?
Sellerده بخمسين جنيه.da b-khamsiin geneh.This is fifty pounds.
Youغالي أوي! ممكن أقل شوية؟ghaali awi! mumkin a'all shwayya?Too expensive! Can it be a bit less?
Sellerخلاص، أربعين.khalaas, arba'iin.Fine, forty.
Youماشي، شكراً!maashi, shukran!OK, thanks!
Things that surprise new learners
ج sounds like g
In Cairo, ج sounds like the g in go: جميل is gamiil (beautiful) and جنيه is geneh (pound).
ق is often silent
In everyday Cairo speech ق becomes a catch in the throat: قهوة is 'ahwa (coffee) and أقل is a'all (less).
Inshallah
إن شاء الله (inshallah, God willing) goes with anything in the future. Depending on the tone, it can also mean a polite maybe.
How Talvo teaches Egyptian Arabic
- Egyptian Arabic is its own course, separate from Modern Standard Arabic
- Every phrase in Arabic script with romanization, and romanized answers are accepted while you learn the alphabet
- Culture notes, like which way of asking a price sounds friendliest in an Egyptian shop
- The live interpreter works in Egyptian Arabic in both directions
- Every unit, from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1), is written around your interests and the words you already know
- Role-play a café, a market, a taxi or meeting someone new. The tutor speaks first, waits for your answer and corrects you with the reason
- Every new word goes into your review deck and comes back right before you'd forget it
Questions about learning Egyptian Arabic
Should I learn Egyptian or Modern Standard Arabic?
If you want to talk with people in Egypt, start with Egyptian. It's what people speak at home, in shops and in films. Choose Modern Standard if you mainly want to read news or formal texts. Talvo has both.
Will people outside Egypt understand me?
Usually, yes. Egyptian films, TV and music are popular across the Arab world, so Egyptian is one of the most widely understood dialects.
Can I learn Egyptian Arabic with Talvo for free?
Yes, to start. Your first lesson, three live-interpreter exchanges, your reviews and your deck are free. Talvo Pro unlocks unlimited lessons and conversations, and the yearly plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Can I use Talvo on my Mac?
Yes. Talvo is a native app for iPhone and Mac, and one subscription covers both.
More language guides
Say your first Egyptian Arabic sentence today.
The first lesson is free. It takes about five minutes.