How to Ask For Directions in Egyptian Arabic

If you are spending some time in Cairo, there’s a couple things that you should know how to do. How to ask for directions in Egyptian Arabic is definitely one of them.

In Cairo, it’s pretty easy to get lost. Street signs are hard to find, and google directions are hardly ever correct.

Learn how to ask for directions, and you’re well on your way to having a great time in Egypt.

Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining……how to ask for directions in Egyptian Arabic.

Vocabulary To Ask For Directions in Egyptian Arabic

Excuse me, can you please help me? : “Loh sumawht, moomkin tisawehdnee?” (Asking a male)

لو سمحت, ممكن تساعدني   .

Low sumawhtee, moomkin tisawideenee? (Asking a female)

؟لو سمحت، ممكن تساعديني  .

This is the way you can start out most questions in Egypt. As you can see above, a few of the words change, depending on the gender of the person you are addressing. If you have studied other languages (or are a native speaker of something other than genderless English) you are probably familiar with the whole “feminine/masculine” thing. Same thing with Arabic.

The spelling of verbs and the endings of adjective (amongst other things) change. We will have a post in the future to help you with this. Right now, all you need to know is that it exists.

I am lost. : “Ana teye-uh”

.انا تايه  .

This might be met with a sympathetic laugh. We’ve all been there, and it sucks. You’re probably going to stick out in Cairo (nothing to be afraid of), so the Egyptian will have already assumed as much.

And if you want to ask for directions in Egyptian Arabic, it probably helps.

Where is/the…. : “fane/al….”

فين ال…؟   .

This is your bread and butter. Start out the question with this, and every Egyptian will instantly know that you are asking for directions to whatever you say as the second part. Add “low sumaht” to the beginning to be polite.

I want…. : “Ana eyizz”

…. أنا عايز .

This is just an alternate way to ask for directions. It sounds slightly more rude (or at least less polite), but it will get the job done.

Example Phrases To Ask For Directions in Egyptian Arabic

I am staying in the……hotel. : “Ana aw’udd feel foondoo….”

…انا قاعد في فندق   .

We are staying…. : “Ehnuh aawdeen….

…احنا قاعدين في فندق  .

See the above point on spelling verbs. As a fun fact, the word “aw’udd” (stay) is also the word for “sit.” Apparently Egyptians do nothing but sit on chairs when they stay in hotels. Interesting.

 Do you know it? : “Enta aw’ruffoo?”

انت عارفو؟   .

There is about a 50/50 chance they will know the hotel, if it is a nicer “well known” place. If it’s not, it helps to know which street it’s on.

 On…..street? : “Fee shareuh….”

….في شارع   .

Tack on the name of the street at the end. If they know where it is, here are some things you are liable to hear.

 Which number (what is the address?) : “Rakam cam?”

رقم كام؟ .

Follow up with the number of the address.

Number …. : “Rakam……”

…رقم

 The next street. : “Sharee elly gaii….”

.شارع الي جاي  .

Go straight/Turn right/Turn left. : khush awluh tuul/KHush shemal/KHush yemeen

.خش على طول/خش شمال/خش يمين

There’s a good chance that, even with your spy-like Arabic, they don’t know the place. That, or they just don’t give a shit. Either way, here is how they will probably express the negative.

How to get a taxi in Egyptian Arabic also uses a lot of the same vocabulary.

 I don’t know. : “Mish uh’AWruff./ MAW-uhRUFSH

.مش عارف /معرفش  .

If you look at the above, you will notice that the second version is essentially the two words in the first version crammed together. This is a grammar concept so poetically christened the “mish sandwich,” and it will simultaneously make you smile and slam your head against a wall. Not because it is difficult, but because it’s EVERYWHERE, and you can’t seem to wash your hands of it once you’ve touched it. It’s officially the glitter of Egyptian Arabic. We will cover it later.

 I’m sorry! : “Ana asiff”

انا اسف  .

I’m sorry! : “MAW-uhLAYSH”

!معلش  .

“Ana awsiff” is just slightly more formal. “Maw-uhLAYSH,” however, can be used in about a million different circumstances. Any combination of “I don’t know” and “Sorry” is probably what you will hear if an Egyptian doesn’t know. However, even better……

I swear I don’t know. : “walla-he MAW-uhRUFsh.”

!والله معرفش

My personal favorite. As you get better at Arabic, this is one of the things you are going to say that will make Egyptians laugh. Makes you sound reaaally freaking Egyptian. Basically, not only are they saying that they don’t know, but they are swearing to God that they don’t know. Just in case you were going to call them on their bullshit. Yet again, “wuh-LAWhee” is something everybody should become masters at. Expect a post.

And finally, some clarifying questions/statements.

Right or left? : “Yameen wawluh shumell?”

يمين ولا شمال؟  .

It is close to here? : “Oo-reye-ub men henuh?”

قريب من هنا؟  .

I don’t know where exactly. : “Mish uhAWruff fane bihzubt.”

…مش عارف فين بالظبط  .

No, not here. : “Law’uh, mish henuh.”

لا مش هنا  .

In case the Egyptian has walked with you to try to find the place (not that weird):

Thanks, sir. : “Shokerawn  ya basha.” (more like thanks boss not as formal as Thanks, sir)

!شكرا   .

Read all of this with the healthy caveat that getting lost is one of the best things you can do for your Arabic. It forces communication and puts you out of your comfort zone. That’s the name of the game when it comes to learning languages. That being said, if you’re not feeling up to the Arabic, a lot of Egyptians speak either decent English or enough that you will understand.

Of course, take proper precaution (especially if you’re a girl). But don’t be afraid. Equipped with these couple of phrases, Egyptians will be glad to help you.

Cultural Insight

It is better to ask an Egyptian woman for directions than an Egyptian man. I will swear by this until the day that I die. There seems to be some sort of masculinity problem here. Egyptian men (at least in this circumstance) really want to look like they know what they are talking about. Even if they don’t know the place you are asking for, there’s a chance they will pretend and point you in any random direction. Egyptian women, however, will just tell you that they don’t know. “Mish AREfuh.”

Better to get no directions than wrong directions. Just move on to the next person that looks like they have ten seconds of spare time. It’s also (especially for girls) less intimidating to ask women. I will tell you some day about my adventure getting my Christmas box from the post office (and the disasters that ensued) with the aid of a little old Egyptian woman. As for now, just keep this in mind.

Good luck getting to you destination. 🙂

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Happy learning,

 Cleo Lingo