How To Break Up in Egyptian Arabic (Love in Egypt: Part 3)

Sadly, it is now time to break up in Egyptian Arabic. 🙁

So far you’ve learned how to flirt and go on a date in Egyptian Arabic. This time it’s serious.

Today is our third and final post in our “Love in Egypt” series.

Let’s get started.

Vocabulary to Break Up in Egyptian Arabic

Here is the main vocabulary you need to know.

Break up. : nseeb ba3d (to leave each other) / yefarkesh (to break something or mess it up).

.نسيب بعض / يفركش 

Sad. : za3lan.

.زعلانة / زعلان

Friend / friends. : so7ab / as7ab.

.صحاب / أصحاب

Love. : 7ob.

.حب

Relationship. : 3elaqa.

.علاقة

Example Phrases to Break Up in Egyptian Arabic

Time for some sentences!

We have split these example phrases for breaking up in Egyptian Arabic into two sections: a healthy break up + an unhealthy break up.

A girl talking to a guy: black.

A guy talking to a girl: red.

If there’s only one example, it’s gender neutral and anybody can say it!

(Disclaimer: Cleo Lingo is fine with people dating anybody they want. It’s just that “a girl breaking up with a girl” and “a guy breaking up with a guy” would have four different translations in some sentences!)

A Healthy Break Up in Egyptian Arabic

I think we should break up. : ana shayfa en ehna lazem nseeb ba3d.

.انا شايفة ان احنا لازم نسيب بعض

I think we should break up. : ana shayf en ehna lazem nseeb ba3d.

.انا شايف ان احنا لازم نسيب بعض

It was a fun time together : kan wa2t lateef ma3 ba3d.

.كان وقت لطيف مع بعض

We were great together. : ehna kona kwaisen ma3 ba3d.

.احنا كنا كويسيين مع بعض

I want to still be friends. : ana 3ayza / 3ayz nefdal so7ab.

.انا عايزة نفضل صحاب

.انا عايز نفضل صحاب

Do you agree? : mwafe2? / mwaf2a?

موافق؟ / موافقة؟

Pay attention to the difference here.

They are quite similar.

Maybe we will get back (Lit. Return) together. : ymken nerga3 l ba3d ba3den.

.يمكن نرجع لبعض

You deserve someone better. : enta tstahel 7ad a7san meni.

.انت تستاهل حد احسن مني

You deserve someone better. : enty testahli 7ad ahsan meni.

.انتي تستاهلي حد احسن مني

This one is super famous in Egyptian dramas and real life too!

It’s actually become a bit comical and cliche (specially when said by a guy to a girl).

An Unhealthy Break Up in Egyptian Arabic

Alright – time for the phrases you were all waiting for!

I knew we should break up. : kont 3arfa en ehna lazem nseeb ba3d.

.كنت عارفة ان احنا هنسيب بعض

I know we should break up. : kont 3aref en ehna lazem nseeb ba3d.

.كنت عارف ان احنا هنسيب بعض

You are psychotic. : enta mareed nafsyan.

انت مريض نفسيا

You are psychotic. : enty mareda nafsyan.

.انتي مريضة نفسيا

You are a liar and a cheater. : enta kadab w khayen / enty kadaba w khayna.

.انت كداب وخاين / انتي كدابة وخاينة

I was never happy with you. : ana 3omri ma kont mabsota ma3ak.

.انا عمري ما كنت مبسوطة معاك

I was never happy with you. : ana 3omri ma kont mabsot ma3aki.

.انا عمري ما كنت مبسوط معاكي

It’s a good thing to remember ana 3omri here.

As you see, it basically means “in my life.” Very common to use it as “never in my life” when you negate something right after.

Check out making mish sandwiches for how to negate something in Egyptian Arabic.

I will never be happy if we stay together. : 3omrna ma hanb2a mabsoten law kamlna ma3 ba3d.

.عمرنا ما هنبقى مبسوطين لو كملنا مع بعض

This relationship is killing me. : el 3elaqa de bte2tlni. 

.العلاقة دي بتقتلني

I can’t keep doing this! : ana mesh adra akmel.

!انا مش قادرة اكمل

I can’t keep doing this! : ana mesh ader akmel!

!انا مش قادر اكمل

Mesh ader / adra is one of my favorite things ever in Egyptian Arabic.

It basically means “I can’t.”

Use this whenever you want to be dramatic about something you don’t want to continue doing. 🙂

We will never get back together. : 3omrena ma hanrga3 l ba3d tani.

.عمرنا ما هنرجع لبعض تاني

Did that Taylor Swift song just play in your head?

Yeah, mine too.

I hope you get run over by a train. : yarab yshelak atr / yarab yshelek atr.

.يارب يشيلك قطر

This is a handy phrase to keep in your back pocket.

And yes – I laugh every time I read it.

Egyptian time might be another thing to complain about. 🙂

Common Questions To Ask

Time for some questions!

Do you have something to say (Lit. Do you have something say it)? : 3andak 7aga t2olha?

عندك حاجة تقولها؟

Do you have something to say? : 3andek 7aga t2oleha?

عندِك حاجة تقوليها؟

What is your opinion? : a ra2yak? / a ra2yek?

ايه رأيك؟

Do you have a different opinion? : 3andak ra2y tani? / 3andek ra2y tani? 

عندك رأي تاني؟

Do you want to say something? : 3ayz t2ol 7aga? 

عايز تقول حاجة؟

Do you want to say something? : 3ayza t2oli 7aga?

عايزة تقولي حاجة؟

Do you want to talk another time? : 3ayz netklm f wa2t tani?

عايز نتكلم في وقت تاني؟

Do you want to talk another time? : 3ayza netklm f wa2t tani?

عايزة نتكلم في وقت تاني؟

Cultural Insight

Nothing about breaking up today, but a general thing to know about dating.

It can be difficult to date in Egypt as a foreigner.

If you are going to, though, keep religion in mind. Especially if you are a guy.

It’s kind of “socially accepted” in Egypt that Muslim men can date Christian women.

It’s much less accepted for Muslim women to date Christian men. This is of course not all Egyptians – but enough for it to be a factor of consideration.

Something to remember.

…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo