If you really want to know how to buy alcohol in Egypt (and all the Egyptian Arabic phrases you need) this post is for you.
When I first got to Egypt, I had this weird assumption about alcohol in Egypt. I just straight up thought it was illegal. I had heard about laws in Saudi Arabia (maybe I wasn’t the most “cultured” when it came to the differences among Arab countries) and I lumped the two together. You could go to jail for alcohol possession in the Saudi kingdom? Well, I guess that meant I was going cold turkey in Egypt.
How very wrong I was. Cairo’s drinking culture is alive and well, and even though it might not be obvious at first, you just have to go looking for it.
This is a post geared towards Drinkies, Egypt’s most well-known “alcohol store,” but it might as well be anywhere that sells them. All these places are more or less the same, and they all supply the missing ingredient to your new life in Cairo: booze. Stop studying for a bit; it’s time to get this party started.
Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining…..how to buy alcohol in Cairo.
Vocabulary To Buy Alcohol in Egypt
Can I help you? : “Moomkin uhSAW’duck?”
ممكن اساعدك؟
This is just like English. People say it when they want to be polite, and it’s fair to expect it in most places (even a hedonistic joint like Drinkie’s geared towards your greatest weakness: subpar beer).
What do you want? : “Enta EYEizz/ENtoo EYEizeen ay?”
انت عايز / انتو عايزين ايه؟
Just like so many other places, this is the question you will probably here. It pays to remember that the tone will dictate the implied meaning. For example, if you are talking to your Egyptian boyfriend and looking deep into your eyes when you say this, that’s one thing. If the taxi driver is trying to rip you off by charging 50 pounds for a ride from Dokki to downtown and you say it, that’s an entirely different thing. But in case that DOES happen, learn about how to get a taxi in Egyptian Arabic. 🙂
Keep in mind that in any case, “eyeizz ay” is a little bit rough around the edges. It’s quick and to the point, and even in respectful situations where neither party is pissed off can sound a bit impolite. This is a booze shop in Cairo, so we can forgive them if they skip the formalities. They probably want to start the weekend too.
Can I buy beer here? : “MOOmkin eshTEHree beeruh hehnuh?”
ممكن اشتري بيرة هنا؟
In Drinkies, beer will be about 80 percent of what’s on offer (and likely the drink of choice at whatever party you might go to). You will have a few big refrigerators where they store the cold beer, shelves where they keep the liquor and wine, and (if it’s a bigger place) piles of beer 16-packs stacked on top of each other.
What beer/wine do you have? : “AWNduk AWNhee beeruh/nuhbeethd?”
عندك انهي بيرة / نبيت ؟
I have… : “AWNdee…”
…عندي
The ever-present “awndee.”
I want… : “EYEizz…”
…عايز
Stella, Heineken, Meister, Desperados.
.ستلا / هاينيكن/ مايستر ماكس/ دسبرادوس
Different Beers That You Can Buy in Egypt
Alright. This will be the most important section of today’s post. Just what are the beers that you can get in Cairo, and what can you expect? If you want to buy alcohol in Egypt, this is super important to know.
Today we have the four main pillars of Egyptian beer: Stella, Heineken, Meister, and Desperados.
- Stella. This is Egypt in a bottle. The nectar, if you will, of the Gods. Ok, maybe not. Let’s be honest: Egyptian beer isn’t the best thing you’ve ever put into your mouth (that’s what she said cough cough). The market just isn’t there. In any case, Stella is decent. It’s by far the most widely drunk beer in Egypt, and after a long day studying Arabic, even slightly refreshing.
- Heineken. Nothing to write home about. If you liked drinking Heiniken when you were home, you’ll like it here. If you hated it back home, stick with the Stella. This is Egypt’s most popular imported brand and likely the second-most-purchased after Stella. Exactly what you would expect.
- Meister Max. Absolute trash. Whenever I’ve been forced to drink one of these (don’t ask), I am instantly reminded of every time I ever drunk a “High Gravity” 40-ounce in high school. Complete and utter garbage. This of course is just a subjective opinion, but I’ll leave you with a gem: don’t be friends with people that drink Meister Max. It can only bring you trouble.
- Desperados. Also not an Egyptian beer, but after the nightmare that is Meister Max, this one comes as a pleasant surprise. As an American, the closest thing I’ve got for this one is “Budlight with lime.” It tastes a bit fruity (maybe too fruity), but who cares. You’re in Egypt, remember?
Extra Phrases to Buy Alcohol in Egypt
How many do you want? : “Entuh EYEizz kehm / ENtee EYEIzuh kehm / ENtoo EYEizeen kehm?”
انت عايز كم؟ / انتي عايزة كم؟ / انتو عايزين كم؟
“Kehm”, as you now know, is a word that indicates number. It is also included in phrases related to time, age, and restaurant dishes. Important.
Cans or bottles? : “Cans wawluh eeZEHzuh?”
كانز ولا ازازة؟
Remember this one. For every beer that you will be interested in buying, you will have the choice of both cans and bottles. We all know that beer tastes better in a bottle, but cans are also less conspicuously loud when riding in a taxi. I speak from experience.
Wine. : “nuhBEETDH”
نبيذ
White or red? : “ABAYd wawluh AHUHmrr?”
أبيض ولا أحمر؟
Alright, I’m going to be a pretentious douche bag for a second. I’m all for cheap alcohol and getting wasted with your friends. I can’t count the number of Keystone Ice’s and similar “so shitty it’s not even beer” beers I have drunk in the past ten years. Let’s be honest: I don’t have high class taste.
But be careful with Egyptian wine. Holy shit. I just don’t even know what to say. Maybe this is because I’m actually started to really enjoy wine in the past couple of years, or maybe Egyptian wine really is that bad. I lean towards the second one. Egyptian wine isn’t wine, so much as sour fruit juice that they jammed some alcohol into. If you really want to buy alcohol in Egypt….best to avoid the wine.
I want tequila/vodka/rum.
.عايز تكيلة/ فودكا/ روم
Drinking Egyptian liquor is like having a boss that you wouldn’t mind running over with your car: you will hate every moment of it, but it’s a valuable experience to have nonetheless. We’re not going to say much here, other than assuring you it’s OK to just say the words in English. They will understand….because there’s no words in Arabic.
They will usually have at most two different brands of a liquor, and from experience, they are essentially the same. No imports here. Get ready for a long night….and an even longer morning.
Godspeed.
I want a big bottle/small bottle…. : “Ana EYEizz eeZEHzuh kuhBEEruh / sooGHEYErr…”
.انا عايز ازازة كبيرة / صغيرة
Remember that like many languages, Arabic is “object + adjective” instead of “adjective + object” like English. When you are describing anything, be sure the noun comes first. We’ll just assume you’re getting a big bottle, you freaking alcoholic, you.
Do you want a bag? : “EYEizz SHUNtuh?”
عايز شنطة؟
The answer is a resounding “eyewuh.” It might be alrigh to buy alcohol in Egypt….but drinking it on the streets is a different story. They will usually double bag it for you (in black bags, due to the social stigma attached to alcohol) so it doesn’t break. If you are planning a rager, though, and need help transporting it:
Can you help me? There is a lot but the car is in the front. : “MOOmkin TIHsawEHDnee? Fee kiteer bess fe AREuhbeeuh hehnuh.”
.ممكن تسعادني؟ في كتير بس في عربية هنا
When you buy a lot of alcohol in Egypt, they will probably be nice enough to bring it to your car for you (if you have one).
Also, just because:
Is there a prize if I buy more? : “Fee gai-ZEHuh low ehSHTEHreet awktar?”
في جايزة لو اشتريت اكتر؟
This will likely get some laughs….but there is a reason that we included it. Drinkies often have promotions where if you buy a certain amount of alcohol (usually Stella beer) you get a prize/gift. The prizes get cooler as the amount purchased goes up. I bought 12 beers one time (I promise I didn’t drink them all by myself) and got a bottle opener keychain because of it. I still have it to this day.
Cultural Insight
Got three for you today. First is a fun fact, second is a tip, third one is .. let’s see.
First, the majority of men working at Drinkies locations are going to be Christians. Muslims in Cairo take the “no alcohol” thing quite seriously, and are uncomfortable working in locations with the express purpose of selling it.
Second….freaking Ramadan. Now, I’m going to tell you the truth. Ramadan may be one of the most underrated experiences out there. It’s a great time, and knowing how to talk about Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic is definitely worth your time. What Ramadan DOES mean is that there is no more alcohol to be had. That’s right. Gone forever. Alcohol stores are required by law to close for the entirety of the month of Ramadan, so it’s best to stock up (like, a month’s worth of stock up) while you still have time.
Third, when you drink with Egyptians they say “Cheers” before drinking. Wow, ya I know that you say that too, guess what?? that’s also the Egyptian way of saying Cheers. Somehow, drinking alcohols in Egypt is associated with being from the higher class who are mostly well educated and they speak English most of the time. If anybody told you about an Egyptian way to say “cheers” in Arabic, most probably its out dated and they only used it in old movies.
Good luck kicking back a cold one. 🙂
…..
Happy learning,
Cleo Lingo
