Learn Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic listening practice
Six everyday conversations, from ordering coffee to bargaining for silver, with audio, transcript and translation.
Six short conversations from Mashi’s lessons, recorded by native Egyptian teachers. Each line has the English, an easy transliteration and the Arabic.
How to practise with them
- Listen once without reading. Press “Play the whole conversation” and catch what you can.
- Read along. Play it again while you follow the transliteration and English.
- Shadow it. Play one line at a time and repeat it straight away, matching the speed and tune.
- Take a part. Play only one speaker’s lines and answer as the other person.
At the café
- Karim Hi! What would you like to drink?Ahlan! Tehebbi teshrabi eyh?أهلاً! تحبي تشربي إيه؟
- Salma I'd like a coffee with milk, please.Kont ayiza ahwa bel laban, law samaht.كنت عايزه قهوه باللبن، لو سمحت.
- Karim Hot or iced?Sokhna walla metalga?سخنه ولا متلجه؟
- Salma Hot. And I'll order a fresh juice too.Sokhna. We hatlob aseer taza kaman.سخنه. وهطلب عصير طازه كمان.
- Karim Sure. Would you like some water?Haader. Teshrabi mayya?حاضر. تشربي ميه؟
- Salma Yes, cold water. Thanks!Aiwa, mayya barda. Shokran!أيوه، ميه بارده. شكراً!
Nice to meet you
- Ramy Good morning!Sabah el kheyr!صباح الخير!
- Sara Good morning to you!Sabah in noor!صباح النور!
- Ramy I'm Ramy. What's your name?Ana Ramy. Esmek eyh?أنا رامي. إسمك إيه؟
- Sara My name is Sara. How are you?Esmi Sara. Ezzayak?إسمي ساره. إزيك؟
- Ramy Fine, thanks. Nice to meet you!El hamdu lellah, kwayis. Forsa saeeda!الحمد لله، كويس. فرصه سعيده!
- Sara Nice to meet you too! See you later.We ana asaad! Hashoofak baadeen.وأنا أسعد! هشوفك بعدين.
At the hotel desk
- Magdy Welcome to the hotel! How can I help?Ahlan beeki fel fondok! Ay khedma?أهلاً بيكي في الفندق! أي خدمه؟
- Anna Where's the nearest bank, please?Feen a'rab bank, law samaht?فين أقرب بنك، لو سمحت؟
- Magdy The bank is close, next to the post office.El bank urayeb, gamb el bosta.البنك قريب، جنب البوسطه.
- Anna And I want to go to the temple. Is it far?We ayiza arooh el maabad. Howwa beeed?وعايزه أروح المعبد. هو بعيد؟
- Magdy No, it's not far. Wait, I'll give you a map.La, mesh beeed. Estanni, hadeeki khareeta.لأ، مش بعيد. استني، هديكي خريطه.
- Anna Thanks! This city is really beautiful.Shokran! El madeena di gameela awi.شكراً! المدينه دي جميله أوي.
Finding the hospital
- Mohamed Excuse me, where's the hospital?Law samahti, feen el mostashfa?لو سمحتي، فين المستشفى؟
- Amal Go straight ahead to the traffic light.Emshi ala tool le hadd esharet el moroor.امشي على طول لحد إشاره المرور.
- Mohamed And then I turn right?We baadeen alef yemeen?وبعدين ألف يمين؟
- Amal No, turn left, and take the second street.La, lef shemaal, we odkhol el share el tani.لأ، لف شمال، وادخل الشارع التاني.
- Mohamed Is it after the tunnel?Howwa baad el nafa'?هو بعد النفق؟
- Amal Yes, the hospital is between the tunnel and the bank.Aiwa, el mostashfa bein el nafa' wel bank.أيوه، المستشفى بين النفق والبنك.
Bargaining for silver
- Abdo Come in, madam, this chain is real silver.Etfaddali ya hanem, el selsela di fadda asli.اتفضلي يا هانم، السلسله دي فضه أصلي.
- Mervat Nice. How much is it?Helwa. Bekaam?حلوه. بكام؟
- Abdo Only five hundred pounds.Be khomsomeet geneeh bas.بخمسميه جنيه بس.
- Mervat No, that's too expensive! I'll pay three hundred.La, di ghalya awi! Hadfaa toltomeyya.لأ، دي غاليه أوي! هدفع تلتميه.
- Abdo Make it four hundred, and I'll give you a small ring as a gift.Khalleeha robomeyya, we hadeeki khatem soghayar hedeyya.خليها أربعميه، وهديكي خاتم صغير هديه.
- Mervat OK, it's a deal!Mashi, ettafa'na!ماشي، اتفقنا!
At the doctor's
- Sameh What seems to be the problem?Kheer, andek eyh?خير، عندك إيه؟
- Asmaa I've had a headache and a fever since yesterday.Andi sodaa we homma men embareh.عندي صداع وحمى من امبارح.
- Sameh OK, let me examine you. Do you have stomach cramps too?Tayyeb, hakshef aleeki. Andek maghas kaman?طيب، هكشف عليكي. عندك مغص كمان؟
- Asmaa No, thank God. Is it a serious illness?La, el hamdu lellah. Howwa marad khateer?لأ، الحمد لله. هو مرض خطير؟
- Sameh No, don't worry, it's a cold. Take this medicine three times a day.La, ettamenni, da bard. Eshrabi el dawa da talat marraat fel yoom.لأ، اطمني، ده برد. اشربي الدوا ده تلات مرات في اليوم.
- Asmaa OK. I'll get it from the pharmacy. Thank you, doctor!Haader. Hageebo men el saydaleya. Shokran ya doktoor!حاضر. هجيبه من الصيدليه. شكراً يا دكتور!
Keep going in the app
Every one of Mashi’s 40 lessons has a recorded conversation like these, built from the words the lesson teaches.
App Store Google Play See the full syllabus
The first three lessons of the level you choose are free, with no card.