How to Apologize in Egyptian Arabic

INTRODUCTION

Nobody likes admitting that they’re wrong.

It’s a hit to your ego, and makes you feel like the other person isn’t owning up to their own faults.

But sometimes you just have to do it.

And any way, knowing how to apologize just means that you are a mature adult.

We know, simply by reading Cleo Lingo, that you’re probably quite mature already.

But an extra dose never hurt anyone.

Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining….how to apologize in Egyptian Arabic.

VOCABULARY

Here are the “vague” apologies that can be applied in most situations.

These are especially useful if we don’t cover your specific situation in today’s post.

Whip these out in conversations and you will probably be covered.

I am sorry / I am so sorry. : “Ana AWsiff / GEHdin.”

.انا اسف/انا اسف جدا

I did something bad. : “Ana awMEHLT HAWguh GHAWlutt.”

.انا عملت حاجة غلط (translated to: i did something bad)

It is my fault. : “Ana elghawlTAWN.”

.انا الغلطان

I am sorry that I insulted you. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee THDAWeeuhtuck.”

.انا اسف اني ضايقتك

I am sorry that I said that. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee OOLT KEHduh.”

.انا اسف اني قلت كده

I am sorry that I did that. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee awMEHLT KEHduh.”

.انا اسف اني عملت كده

Here is a quick grammar tip.

اني means “that I.”

If you split the 2 words to their origin it becomes ” ان انا” but its shortened to اني.

Mind blown.

Specific apologies (not serious)

Let’s move on to some more specific apologies.

These are when you have done something that’s not really a big deal.

I am sorry that I ate your food. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee awKEHLT EHkuluck.”

انا اسف اني اكلت اكلك

I am sorry that I called you fat / lazy / stupid. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee OOLT awLEEK tawKHEEN / kawSLEHN / GHAWbee.”

انا اسف اني قلت عليك تخين / كسلان / غبي

Here is one of our three part series of “insults.”

In a post about apologizing, it’s not super useful to link to our “insult posts.”

This is just for, um…..curiosity!

I am sorry that I took your cigarettes. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee ukKHUT elsihGAYurr bihTEHuck.”

.انا اسف اني اخدت السجاير بتاعتك

Specific apologies (serious)

And as for the most serious ones?

Well, let’s just hope you’re never in these situations.

I am sorry that I crashed your car. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee KHUHbuhteht AREuhBEEtuck / elAREuhBEEuh bihTEHuck.“

انا اسف اني خبطت عربيتك / العربية بتاعتك

I’m sorry that I burned your house down. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee huhRATE BATEuck / elBATE biTEHuck.:”

انا اسف اني حرقت بيتك / البيت بتاعك

I’m sorry I slept with your wife / husband. : “Ana AWsiff EHnee NEHMT MAW’ muhRAWtuck / GOzuck.”

انا اسف اني نمت مع مراتك / جوزِك

While we hope you are never in the situation of these last two, we saved the absolute worst one for last.

We have no idea how you are going to get out of this one:

I’m sorry that I dropped your shawerma on the ground. 🙁 : “Ana AWsiff EHnee WUH’uht elshaWEREmuh bihTAWuck AWluh elARTDH.”

. ):انا اسف اني وقعت الشاورما بتاعتك على الارض

Probably you won’t have the time to apologize for this!

Looking to the future

Nobody is perfect, but after you have apologized, it helps to look forward.

For that, you need to know if the person you have wronged actually accepts your (hopefully honest) apologies.

Here are some things you could ask.

Do you accept my apology? : “AwBEHLt EHSfee?”

قبلت اسفي؟

Hopefully they do.

Then again, if they are just a bad flatmate, you never know!

What can I do to get better? : “AW’mull AY AWluhshane awSLAWHHhaw?”

اعمل ايه علشان اصلحه؟

(This is literally “I do what to make it better.”)

What do you want me to do? : “EYEihZINee AW’mull AY?”

عايزني اعمل ايه؟

This is an important grammar concept in Egyptian Arabic.

“Nee” is the ending for “me” as the object of the sentence.

This is pretty easy to do.

You want: “eyezz.” Me: “nee.”

You want me: “EyeIZZnee.”

We will explain more in a future post.

I will never do this again. I promise. : “Mish HAW’mull KEHduh TEHnee, wuhLAWhee.”

.مش هعمل كده تاني والله

Not accepting apologies

And if you are on the receiving end and don’t accept any of these apologies?

Then it’s time to bust these out.

Seriously? : “BihGEHD?”

بجد؟؟

This is an important word to learn, as it is used pretty much any time somebody is expressing disbelief in something.

Are you really sorry? : “Enta bihGEHD AWsiff?”

انت بجد اسف؟

I don’t believe you/you are a liar. : “Ana mish muhSAW’duck / kihDEHB.”

انا مش مصدقك / كداب

This is not the first time. : “Dee mish OWwull MAWruh.”

.دي مش اول مرة

“MAWruh” is a feminine noun.

That’s why it’s “dee” instead of “daw” for “it.”

It’s not the first time, sure.

But hopefully it’s the last!

CULTURE CORNER

While these things are all perfectly legit things to say, it’s also quite common to simply invoke God’s name to show how sorry you are.

Egyptians, even though not always exactly “religious”, have had their dialect of Arabic influenced by God and Islam substantially. “Swearing to God” (“wuLAWhee,” as you see above) that you didn’t do something or saying “God help you” when you feel you’ve been insulted are common practice.

This is such a huge topic that we are planning on making it its own separate guide.

But for now, just know that if somebody wants to apologize for forgetting your koshary, God wil amke an appearance in the conversation so they can show you how sincere they are.

Good luck being a mature adult. 🙂

…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo