-Egyptian Arabic is part of Eastern Arabic ,which includes the Arabic dialects spoken
in a large region encompassing North Africa (Egypt & Sudan), the Middle East (Syria,
Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula), and Arabic countries in Asia.
-Eastern Arabic, in addition to Egyptian Arabic, includes Levantine Arabic, spoken in
Lebanon, Syria, Israel,and Palestine, and Gulf Arabic as well as dialects in adjacent regions.
-Western Arabic includes the dialects of western Libya to Morocco and adjacent African
countries of northern Africa .
-Egyptian Arabic and Levantine Arabic are more similar Than either are to the other
members of the Eastern Arabic continuum .
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The main dialects that have been identified in Egypt include: Delta Arabic, Lower Egypt Arabic,
Middle Egypt Arabic, Upper Egypt Arabic, Cairene Arabic, and There are also the dialects of
nomadic Bedouin of the oases and Sinai Peninsula .
Within these categories there are further regional sub-varieties, The differences among all
the dialects are minor and, as a rule, do not impair understanding.
The Cairene dialect is today used in Television, radio; and political speeches,Through
the 1950s and 1960s, it gained prominence because it was seen as a way of promoting
democratic populism, Cairene is widely understood in the Cairo region and beyond because
it is used in Egyptian films, plays, popular music, and Television dramas, which are popular
nationally and in other Arabic countries.
Diglossia - a situation- in which variants of the same language exist side by side
in the same community ,although they are used for different purposes .
Modern Standard Arabic Competes with the vernacular in most formal situations,
including television and radio,and is used in various religious contexts.
The vernacular is more common in less Formal ,more intimate circumstances in the
home and among friends, Most literature is written in MSA ,but authors Sometimes
use the vernacular in writing Dialogue.
Daily usage encompasses a range of linguistic forms that passes from the colloquial
speech of the uneducated and illiterate, to a variety of more sophisticated colloquial
forms used by the educated, and on to the highly classical and formalized MSA.
Most educated Egyptians commonly use the language that falls somewhere in the middle,
employing a form that fits the occasion, being neither pure colloquial nor pure MSA .
Classical Arabic plays a role largely In the religious context, for example, it is used in the
dairy recitation of the Koran,A language academy watches over MSA and tries to limit the influence of
Western languages by proposing new vocabulary based on classical Arabic
models, rather than on borrowings from foreign sources.
*Sometimes it�s difficult to pronounce some Arabic words. Therefore
I advice you to divide the one word into small syllables to make it easier
to read it.
*There are masculine and feminine forms in Arabic language like in some European languages (e.g. French and Italian), so you have to use the masculine form of words when you talk to a male, and do the same with Females.
-Also Male speaker has to use the masculine form if he talks about himself,
and Female speaker has to use the Feminine form if she talks about herself.
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**Common Greetings**
*How are you? =
- Iza-yak? (When you speak to male).
- Iza-yek? (When you speak to female).
*How are you doing?=
-�amel- eh? (When you speak to male).
-�amla -eh? (When you speak to female).
-The Reply-
1) I�m fine, Thanks =Ana qwa-yes, Shukran (male form ).
=Ana qwa-yesa, Shukran (female form).
-Ana = I�m (singular form used for boys and for girls)
-Qwa-yesa = fine (feminine singular form)
-Qwa-yes =fine (masculine singular form)
-(�qwa� be pronounced like (qua) in the English word "aqua").
- (�yes� in �yesa� be pronounced like "yes" but add the sound of "a" at the end of it).
2) I�m good = Ana be-khair (for both singular Male &Female).
3) I�m Fine, Thanks and You? = Ana qwa-yes(m), Shukran ,
=Ana qwa-yesa (F), Shukran .
And You? = Wa en-ta?(to male)/ Wa en-ti?(to female)
4) Fine, Thanks be to God = qwa-yes (male form), el ham-doo lil-lah.
=qwa-yesa (female form),el ham-doo lil-lah).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-Hello = Ah-lan / (or)/ Merhaba.
-Peace upon you = Sala-mu alikum.
- (the reply): peace upon you too = wa �alikum- el- salam.
-Good morning = Sa-bah el-kh-air.
-Good afternoon +Good evening = Ma-saa el kh-air.
-Good night = Tes-bah ala Kh-air.
- (the reply): Good night to you too = wa enta/enti meen ah-lo.
-Good Bye = Sa-lam /or/ Ma�a- el- Sa-la-ma.
(fi A-man el-lah = Be in God�s care).
-Welcome/or/greetings =Ah-lan - wa - sah-lan.
-Welcome �come in = Ah-lan wa sah-lan , et-fad-dal .
(when you speak to male).
= Ah-lan wa sah-lan , et-fad-dali.
(When you speak to male) .
*usually we say this phrase when you invite a guest to come into your place or house.
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*This expression has different meanings & usages:-
1- Go ahead(or �after you�) (when you let someone go first)
2- Come in (when you permit someone to enter your house or your place).
3- Here you�re (when you serving your guests or when you give something to someone).
***********************************************************************
*Never mind = Ma�a-lesh
* Excuse me = an-iznak(to male) / an-iznek (to female).
* Sorry = Assef (M-form) / assfa (F-form).
* Good = qwa-yes.
* No = Laa.
* Yes = Aiwa.
***********************************************************************
* I don�t understand = Mesh �fahem (M-form).
= Mesh -fah-ma (F-form).
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* If possible = Mum-keen.
* �Please�/ or /�if you please� =Lao-samaht(to M)/ lao-samahti (to F).
Or
Meen -fadlak(to M)/ Meen -fadlik(to F).
************************************************************************
- May every year be good for you = *Kol- sana- wa- enta -tayeb (to M).
= *Kol- sana- wa- enti- tayeba (to F).
*************************************************************************
* Thanks /ot /thank you = shu-kran.
(�shu� you say it as you exactly say �show�)..
(�an� in �Kran� sounds exactly like the English indefinite article �an�).
*************************************************************************
*you are welcome= "Af-wan" /or /"il -afow".
( �wan� in �af-wan�, its sound is exactly like �wha� in �what�).
(�il� its sound is like �il� in English word �ill�).
(�ow � in �afow� pronounces like �oo� in �look�).
***********************************************************************
*Don't worry = ma-tek-la-ksh (if you speak with a boy).
=ma-tek-la-key-sh (if you speak with a girl ).
***********************************************************************
-I miss you = Wa- heshni (when you talk to a boy).
= Wah -shani (when you talk to girl).
(�wa� sounds like the whisper �wow�).
(�he� in �heshni� sounds like the English Third singular personal pronoun �He�).
(�ni� in �heshni� sounds like �ne� in English word �neck�).
-I missed you = Wa-hesh-teni (when you talk to boy).
= Wa-hash-teni (when you talk to girl).
***********************************************************************
-Take care of yourself = Khali balak meen nafsak (when you talk to a boy).
= Khali balek meen nafsek (when you talk to a girl).
(�kh� in �Khali� sounds like �kh� in English word �Khan�).
(�lak� in �balak�, its sound is like �Luck�).
(�meen� is pronounced like the English word �men�).
**********************************************************************
- where are you from ?= enti me nean? (if you speak with a girl)
-where are you from? =enta me nean? (if you speak with a boy)
enti= you(singular personal pronoun to a girl)
enta= you (singular personal pronoun to a boy).
(�en� in �Enta� be prounounced exactly as you say the English preposition "in" ,then say "ta" with opening your mouth up..).
(�me� you read it like "me " in English).
(�nea� in �nean� is like "ne" in "neck'....the last "n" is like "n" in "noun"
(�en� in �Enti be pronounced exactly as you say the English preposition �in�, then say "ti" as if you say the word "tea").
The Reply:
I�m from �=Ana meen
My�.
*by adding "i" at the end of any masculine word or adding �Ti� at the end of Feminine words that will mean "my".
*("I" and �Ti� in Arabic are singular possessive pronouns).
Examples:
dress= fostan.
my dress =fostani .
Sadiq =male friend.
sadiqa =female friend.
you�ll notice that there are masculine and feminine words in Arabic exactly like in Italian& French..
*with "sadiq" we'll add "i":
Sadiqi = my male friend
*with "sadiqa" we'll add "ti"
Sadiqati:my female friend
**How to pronunce "i"..?? you have to pronounce it like "e" in �English�.
**How to pronunce "Ti"..?? you have to pronounce it like "T" in �T-shirt�.
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