Today we are back with Egyptian Arabic Conversation 24.
In each Conversations post, we will provide you with:
- a screenshot from an actual conversation between two Egyptians
- the translation of each line of text, including English, Franco and Arabic script
- context on the conversation and further explanation
We think learning Egyptian Arabic from actual, authentic conversations between Egyptians is both fun and effective. We hope you like it too!
Egyptian Arabic Conversation 24: What A Nice Coincidence
As always, we will start out with a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation in Egyptian Arabic.
The conversation is in Franco, but we put the actual Arabic below.
Before getting started with this Conversations post, be sure to check out our post on writing in Franco Arabic.
Egyptian Arabic Conversation 24: Translation
This conversation is between two friends, Nevin and Manal. They run into each other “by coincidence” at the mall.
From their conversation we can assume that they saw each other from afar and are now checking in with each other via WhatsApp.
Manal? What brought you here? What a nice coincidence! : Manal? eh elgabek hena? eh elsodfa el helwa de?
منال؟ ايه اللي جابك هنا؟ ايه الصدفة الحلوة دي؟
What? How are you Nevin, what are you doing here? : Eh daaa? 3amla eh ya nevin, bt3mli eh hena?
ايه ده؟ عاملة ايه يا نيفين، بتعملي ايه هنا؟
I’m coming to meet my friends, and you? : Ana gaia a2bel sohabi, w enti?
انا جاية اقابل صحابي، وانتي؟
I’m coming to do some shopping. : Ana gaia a3mel shopping.
.انا جاية اعمل شوبنج
Really happy that I saw you sweetheart. : Mabsota awy eni shoftek ya habibty.
.مبسوطة قوي اني شوفتك يا حبييتي
Me more I swear sweetheart…message me before you leave. : W ana aktar walahy ya habibty…eb3ateli abl matmshi.
.انا اكتر والله يا حبيبتي… ابعتيلي قبل ماتمشي
Ok great… I will see you in a bit. : OK tamam… ashofek shwaya keda.
.اوك تمام… اشوفك شوية كده
Egyptian Arabic Conversation 24: Important Vocabulary
What brought you here? : Eh elgabek hena?
ايه اللي جابك هنا؟
This literally means “what that which brought you here?”
What a nice coincidence. : A elsodfa elhelwa de?
ايه الصدفة الحلوة دي؟
This can be said as either a statement or question.
The literal translation is “What the coincidence the nice this?”
What… : A daaa…
…ايه داااا
This is a great phrase to learn. In Egyptian Arabic, you use it when you can’t believe something / are surprised.
A rough translation would be something like “Wow, seriously?” Egyptians use it all the time when they want to express surprise.
I’m coming to do shopping. : Ana gaia a3mel shopping.
.انا جاية اعمل شوبنج
In Egypt, you won’t use the Arabic word for shopping. Instead, Egyptians will literally say “shopping” (albeit, in an Egyptian accent – more like show-ping). Also,
I’m so glad that I saw you. : Mabsota awy eni shoftek.
.مبسوطة قوي اني شوفتك
A common phrase.
The literal translation here is “Happy very that I saw you.”
And me more… : W ana aktar…
…وانا اكتر
This phrase sounds slightly awkward when translated to English.
The literal translation: “And me more I swear habibti.”
Manal is basically saying “I’m more happy to see you, I swear.” To make full sense of this phrase, learn all about the word habibti.
Message me. : eb3ateli.
.ابعتيلي
The phrase above is two parts:
Eb3ate / ابعتي
This is the way you command a female to send something (she is commanding her friend send her a message).
(A very common Egyptian Arabic command).
And to whom?
“To me” / li / لي
This is what you add to the end of a command to indicate that it should be done to you. So, we end up with:
لي + ابعتي
Which, of course, is eb3ateli / ابعتيلي.
See you in a bit. : ashofek shwya keda.
.اشوفك شوايا كده
Read all about the word keda (كده)!
Context + Further Explanation
As we mentioned at the beginning, this is a conversation between two women.
We might imagine two Egyptian women running into each other at a mall in Cairo like City Stars. They probably aren’t the best of friends, though, since they haven’t seen each other in awhile.
This longer absence in each other’s lives is implied by A daa / ايه داااا, which is a common thing to say when you can’t believe that you are seeing somebody.
Altogether, it’s a pleasant conversation. Just remember to conjugate the phrases correctly if you are speaking to a man instead of a woman.
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Happy learning,
Cleo Lingo
