Greetings in Egyptian Arabic

Tap the speaker to hear the teacher say it. Every line shows the English, an easy transliteration (the way it sounds, in Latin letters) and the Arabic script. You don’t need to read Arabic to use these.

Hello and goodbye

• WelcomeAhlan wa sahlanأهلاً وسهلاًSaid to welcome a guest or someone who has just arrived. The reply is ahlan beek (to a man) or ahlan beeki (to a woman).
• Good morningSabah el kheyrصباح الخيرUntil around midday. The usual reply is sabah el noor, “morning of light”.
• Have a beautiful morning.Sabah el yasminصباح الياسمينA warm, playful version of good morning: “morning of jasmine”.
• Good eveningMasa el kheyrمساء الخيرFrom the afternoon on. The usual reply is masa el noor.
• Good nightLeyla saeedaليله سعيدهSaid when you part in the evening.
• GoodbyeSalaamسلامThe everyday “bye”.
• See you laterHashoufak badeenهشوفك بعدينTo a woman: hashoufek badeen.
• See you after work.Hashoufak bad el shoghlهشوفك بعد الشغل
• Have a good day.Yoomak saeedيومك سعيدSaid as you leave, like “have a good one”.

Small talk

Questions to one man end in -ak (ezzayak?). To a woman, Egyptians say ezzayek? and esmek eyh?.

• How are you? (to a man)Ezzayak?إزيك؟The everyday “how are you?”. To a woman: ezzayek? A common answer is el hamdu lellah, kwayis, “thank God, fine”.
• Are you okay?Enta kwayis?إنت كويس؟To a woman: enti kwayesa?
• How is your day?Ezzay yoomak?إزاي يومك؟
• What is your name? (to a man)Esmak eyh?إسمك إيه؟To a woman: esmek eyh?
• My name is ...Esmi ...إسمي ...Add your name after esmi.
• Nice to meet youForsa saeedaفرصه سعيدهSaid when you first meet someone, often as you say goodbye. The reply is we ana asaad, “and I’m happier”.
• How are the kids?Ezzay el awlaad?إزاي الأولاد؟Asking after someone’s family is a normal part of greeting in Egypt.
• Can you speak English?Momken tetkalem englezi?ممكن تتكلم إنجليزي؟Momken (“could you”) makes almost any request polite.

Hear them in a real conversation

Two neighbours meet for the first time. Notice sabah el noor answering sabah el kheyr, and we ana asaad answering forsa saeeda.