INTRODUCTION

Everybody is afraid of something.

Whether it’s spiders, clowns, or your favorite rooftop bar being closed during Ramadan, it’s almost a guarantee.

But how to express it?

How to tell your Egyptian roommate that a pet tarantula for your birthday probably isn’t the best present?

We’ve got you covered.

Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining….how to express your fears in Egyptian Arabic.

VOCABULARY

We will start you out with the basics, and then get a little more complicated from there.

I am afraid. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh.”

.انا خايف/ انا خايفة

Because many verbs have to be feminized, add a “tamruhbootuh” to the end of the masculine form and BAM.

All of a sudden you’re a female!

I am afraid of…. : “Ana bawKHEF men…”

…انا بخاف من

Here are some common fears that you can finish the sentence with.

….spiders/bugs. : “…ela’NEHkib/HUHshuRAWT.”

.العناكب\الحشرات…

…heights/closed spaces.. : “…elMOOtawfawEHT / elehMEHkinn elMAW’FOOluh.”

. المرتفعات/الاماكن المقفولة…

…the sea. : “…elBAWHHrr.”

.البحر…

You can also just use “koont” (like so many verbs in Egyptian Arabic) to express things you were afraid of in the past.

It works here just fine.

I was afraid. : “Ana KOONT KYEYEiff/KHEYEfuh.”

.انا كنت خايف/ انا كنت خايفة

We will explain more below.

The Difference Between These Two Forms

“Ana bawKHEHf” (انا بخاف) and “Ana KHEYEiff” (انا خايف) are both translated to “I am afraid.”

The difference is that you usually use “Ana bawKHEHF” for things like specific phobias (as we have seen above).

“Ana KHEYEiff/KHEYEfuh” is more for an exact situation / at the current moment.

This is also what you will use the majority of the time.

You might say, for example: “Ana KHEYEfuh MENuck dellWUH’tee.”

This means: “I (feminine) am afraid of you right now.”

Note that Egyptians also use this second form to express worries, not only fears.

Just like English.

Example: “I am afraid he won’t like it”: “Ana KHEYEiff MEYEguhBOOSH.”

More “Worry” Examples

I am afraid that I will be late. : “”Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh uhTAWkhur.”

.انا خايف/خايفة أتأخر

This might be something you hear quite a lot….

I am afraid that you will cancel our meeting. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh EHnuck TEHluhghee elEHGtihMEH’aw.”

.انا خايف/خايفة انك تلغي الاجتماع

I am afraid that prices will continue to increase. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh elawssARE TIFFthdull TEH’luh.”

.انا خايف /خايفة السعار تفضل تعلى

Here is some more information to beef up those speaking skills.

When you are really afraid (terrified) then you are “MAR’OOB”: مرعوب.

However, because you will conjugate this when saying specifically WHAT you are afraid of, it then becomes….

I am terrified of snakes. : “Ana bawTREH’ub elTAW’LEEN.” :

.انا بترعب من التعابين

This word works the same with phobias.

Did I scare you? : ” Ana khowEHFtuck / ana khawDEHtuck?”

انا خوفتك؟ انا خضتك؟

As we have said, the words “scared, worried, and afraid” could be all translated to “khayef,” depending on the context.

Just keep in mind the difference between “phobias” and….well, most everything else.

Expressing Deeper Fears 

Here are some much deeper fears (which are not phobias, keep in mind, which would call for the “ana bawKHEF” form).

This is advanced level stuff, so only bust these out when there is an awkward pause in the conversation and you want to impress your Egyptian friends with how deep and philosophical you’ve become.

And remember: while the rest of the examples are in the masculine form (KHEYEiff), add a “tamruhbootuh” to the end to feminize the verb (KHEYEfuh).

I am afraid of the meaning of life. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh men MAW’nuh heyeYEH.”

.انا خايف من معنى الحياة

I am afraid that there is no god. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh yawKOON mawFEESH EEleh.”

.انا خايف يكون مفيش اله

This could also be (as we hear in the voice note): “..MAWyawKOONSH FEE EEleh.”

I am afraid I can not live up to my full potential. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh maw’DRRSH awEESH beeKOLE awDRAWtee.”

.انا خايف مقدرش اعيش بكل قدراتي

If the use of the word “mish” with other verbs confuses you:

Here are some “scary-related” phrases that are also helpful to learn.

This is scary. : “Daw beeKHOWwiff.”

.ده بيخوف
This is really scary. : “Daw beeKHOWwiff GEHdehn.”

.ده بيخوف جدا

Funny Sentences That Still Display Your Killer Arabic Skills

Time to have a little fun with your sentences.

Here are some fears quite specific to a foreigner living in Egypt.

I am afraid of going to the Mogamma. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh awROOK llmooGAWmuh’.”

.انا خايف اروح المجمع

This is a big one.

While the process at the Mogamma has since changed….the language hasn’t!

I am afraid there will not be shisha at this awhuwuh. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh mawyawKOONsh fee SHEEshuh feelAWhuhwuh dee.”

.انا خايف ميكونش في شيشة في القهوة دي

This would be tragic indeed.

Here is some extra language if you needed it:

These examples are all in “present simple tense,” but that is how they will usually be expressed.

In English this sounds like it’s more “certain.”

In Egyptian Arabic, the “I am afraid this might happen in the future at some point” is implied.

I am afraid the taxi (driver) kills me. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh men elTAKsee beeMOOTnee.”

.انا خايف التاكسي يموتني

I am afraid the street cat bites me. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh ellOHtaw TAW’THDUDnee.”

.انا خايف القطة تعضني

I am afraid Drinkies is closed. : “Ana KHEYEif/KHEYEfuh DREENkeez yawKOON EHfill.”

.انا خايف درينكيز يكون قافل

And finally:

We can’t think of a worse fear than this one!

CULTURE CORNER

Straight from Tarek’s mouth: “While Egyptians claim not to fear anything, they are actually terrified of everything.”

He said it, not me.

Take it with a grain of salt, but here are a few things that Egyptians are (apparently) afraid of:

Ghosts.

Falling down inside the bathroom.

The envy of other people.

Police.

We will leave it up to you to figure this out on your own. Get out there and start speaking, and discover for yourself what the people of Egypt are actually terrified of. In the meantime, I will be keeping the lights on in my room, because hey, you never know.

Good luck with your new pet tarantula! 🙂

…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo