In this article
- Greetings and basics
- Polite words you will use every day
- Getting around: taxis, directions and transport
- Shopping and eating
- Getting help and keeping the conversation going
- Numbers 1 to 10
- Two mini conversations
- A few cultural etiquette tips
- Five tips for using these phrases
- Want to go beyond phrases?
- Frequently asked questions
Moving to Cairo, visiting for a few weeks, or marrying into an Egyptian family? A small set of phrases will take you a long way. Egyptians are famously warm and appreciate any effort to speak their dialect, even a few words.
Below are 40 essential Egyptian Arabic phrases, grouped by situation, with Arabic script, an easy pronunciation guide and the meaning. Egyptian Arabic has masculine and feminine forms, so we mark them where it matters.
Greetings and basics
| # | Arabic | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | أهلاً | ahlan | Hello / welcome |
| 2 | صباح الخير | ṣabāḥ el-kheir | Good morning (reply: صباح النور, ṣabāḥ en-nūr) |
| 3 | مساء الخير | masāʾ el-kheir | Good evening (reply: مساء النور, masāʾ en-nūr) |
| 4 | السلام عليكم | es-salāmu ʿalaykum | Peace be upon you (reply: وعليكم السلام, wa ʿalaykum es-salām) |
| 5 | إزيك؟ | ezzayyak? (to a man) / ezzayyik? (to a woman) | How are you? |
| 6 | عامل إيه؟ | ʿāmel eh? | How is it going? |
| 7 | الحمد لله | el-ḥamdu lillāh | Fine, thank God |
| 8 | تشرفنا | tasharrafna | Nice to meet you |
| 9 | مع السلامة | maʿa s-salāma | Goodbye |
| 10 | أشوفك بعدين | ashūfak baʿdeen | See you later |
Polite words you will use every day
| # | Arabic | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | شكراً | shukran | Thank you |
| 12 | ألف شكر | alf shukr | Thanks a lot (literally “a thousand thanks”) |
| 13 | العفو | el-ʿafw | You are welcome |
| 14 | لو سمحت | law samaḥt | Excuse me / please |
| 15 | آسف | āsef | Sorry (a woman says آسفة, āsfa) |
| 16 | معلش | maʿlesh | Never mind / sorry about that / it is okay |
| 17 | ماشي | māshi | Okay, deal |
| 18 | إن شاء الله | inshāʾ allāh | God willing |
Getting around: taxis, directions and transport
| # | Arabic | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | فين الحمّام؟ | feen el-ḥammām? | Where is the bathroom? |
| 20 | عايز أروح … | ʿāyez arūḥ … (woman: ʿāyza arūḥ …) | I want to go to … |
| 21 | على طول | ʿala ṭūl | Straight ahead |
| 22 | يمين | yemīn | Right |
| 23 | شمال | shemāl | Left |
| 24 | وقّف هنا لو سمحت | waʾʾaf hena law samaḥt | Stop here, please |
| 25 | شغّل العدّاد لو سمحت | shaghghal el-ʿaddād law samaḥt | Please turn on the meter |
| 26 | هتاخد كام؟ | hatākhod kām? | How much will you charge? |
Tip: Ask about the price or ask for the meter before you get into a taxi. Many drivers also use ride-hailing apps in Cairo.
Shopping and eating
| # | Arabic | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | بكام ده؟ | bekām da? (for something feminine: bekām di?) | How much is this? |
| 28 | غالي أوي | ghāli awi | That is too expensive |
| 29 | ممكن خصم؟ | mumken khaṣm? | Is a discount possible? |
| 30 | لأ شكراً | laʾ shukran | No, thank you |
| 31 | ممكن المنيو؟ | mumken el-menyu? | Can I have the menu? |
| 32 | عايز مَيّة | ʿāyez mayya | I want water |
| 33 | الحساب لو سمحت | el-ḥesāb law samaḥt | The bill, please |
| 34 | تسلم إيدك | teslam eedak | Bless your hands (a compliment to whoever cooked) |
Getting help and keeping the conversation going
| # | Arabic | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | مش فاهم | mish fāhem (woman: mish fahma) | I do not understand |
| 36 | ممكن تعيد؟ | mumken teʿīd? | Can you repeat that? |
| 37 | براحة شوية | beraḥa shwayya | Slowly, please |
| 38 | بتتكلم إنجليزي؟ | betetkallem ingelīzi? | Do you speak English? |
| 39 | أنا بتعلّم عربي | ana batʿallem ʿarabi | I am learning Arabic |
| 40 | محتاج مساعدة | meḥtāg musāʿda (woman: meḥtāga musāʿda) | I need help |
Numbers 1 to 10
| Number | Arabic | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | واحد | wāḥed |
| 2 | اتنين | etneen |
| 3 | تلاتة | talāta |
| 4 | أربعة | arbaʿa |
| 5 | خمسة | khamsa |
| 6 | ستة | setta |
| 7 | سبعة | sabʿa |
| 8 | تمانية | tamanya |
| 9 | تسعة | tesʿa |
| 10 | عشرة | ʿashara |
Two mini conversations
Taking a taxi
| Who | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| You | لو سمحت، عايز أروح الزمالك | Excuse me, I want to go to Zamalek |
| Driver | ماشي، اتفضل | Okay, please get in |
| You | شغّل العدّاد لو سمحت | Please turn on the meter |
| You | وقّف هنا لو سمحت | Stop here, please |
Ordering at a café
| Who | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| You | ممكن المنيو لو سمحت؟ | Can I have the menu, please? |
| You | عايز شاي ومَيّة | I want tea and water |
| You | الحساب لو سمحت | The bill, please |
| You | تسلم إيدك | Thank you (bless your hands) |
A few cultural etiquette tips
- Greetings take time. Expect a few rounds of “how are you” and “thank God” before getting to business.
- Use your right hand for eating, handing over money and shaking hands.
- Dress modestly when visiting mosques and traditional neighborhoods.
- Haggling is common in tourist markets, but not in supermarkets, pharmacies or restaurants with printed prices.
- Accept hospitality. If someone offers you tea, accepting is a friendly gesture.
Five tips for using these phrases
- Smile and greet first. Egyptians value a warm greeting before any request. Start with “ahlan” or “es-salāmu ʿalaykum”.
- Learn your gender forms. Men and women use slightly different endings, so ask a tutor which ones apply to you.
- Use “law samaḥt” generously. It softens any request.
- Practice out loud. Say each phrase several times before you need it.
- Do not be shy about mistakes. People will usually help you and appreciate the effort.
Want to go beyond phrases?
Phrases get you through the first weeks. To really understand people and speak freely, you need grammar patterns, vocabulary and plenty of speaking practice. Follow our beginner roadmap to Egyptian Arabic, enjoy the everyday expressions in Egyptian Arabic slang, and consider live conversation classes with a tutor who corrects you as you speak.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Arabic to live in Cairo?
Many people in tourism and business speak some English, but daily life gets easier and friendlier when you can speak basic Egyptian Arabic.
What is the most useful Egyptian Arabic phrase for beginners?
“Law samaḥt” (please / excuse me) and a good greeting such as “ezzayyak?” will open more doors than almost anything else.
Are these phrases the same in other Arab countries?
Some, like “shukran” and “inshāʾ allāh”, are used everywhere. Others, such as “ezzayyak” and “delwaʾti”, are specifically Egyptian.
How do I improve my pronunciation?
Listen to native speakers, repeat aloud, and ask a tutor to correct you. Recording yourself and comparing is also very effective.
Want to speak with confidence before you arrive? Book a free trial class and practice these phrases live with a tutor.
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