How To Talk About Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic: Part 1

Ramadan in Egypt is pretty cool. Talking about Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic is also pretty cool. 🙂

That’s what you’ll learn in today’s post: everything you need to talk about Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic, from the most important words to some well-known phrases.

It’s the most important time of the year for most Egyptians.

Might as well learn how to talk about it, right?

Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining…how to talk about Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic.

Vocabulary for Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic

We’ll start with the most important words you need to know for Ramadan.

This post was written before we transitioned to “Franco.” Check out our Franco guide for how to spell Arabic words using Latin letters + numbers.

Also, most of these are conjugated to the masculine form. We will be releasing a guide to verb conjugation next week, so stay tuned.

Ramadan. : RAWmuhDAWN.

.رمضان

Lantern (that Egyptians use). : Fanoos / FawaNEES.

.فانوس / فوانيس

Lunar month (the duration of Ramadan). : SHAWhrr HEHgree. 

.شهر هجري

(First meal to break the fast at sunset). : FiTAR.

.فطار

This is actually called Iftar in formal Arabic. Somehow, Egyptians lost the “I” sound in the beginning of the word.

Egyptians also use the same word for “breakfast” (the rest of the year when they aren’t fasting).

(The call for prayer.) : El awDEHN.

.الاذان

This is called for in mosques before any prayer, always followed by the specific prayer name. (ex: Azaan El Maghrib, Azaan El Fajr). Calls to prayer and regular “time telling” are linked in Arab culture.

Read our guides to tell time in Egyptian Arabic: here is Part One and here is Part Two. They give you some more useful info on this topic.

(The meal before fasting, which has to end before the first call to prayer.) : Sohoor.

.سحور

It’s very interesting to go to one of these as a foreigner. 

They’re super late at night, and basically what Egyptians do when they start getting hungry again after the first Iftar.

Really fun!

Fasting. : seeYAWM.

.صيام

Date. : BEHlawhh

.بلح

This is the most popular food to break the fast.

Phrases for Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic

Time to learn some phrases!

Check out our ultimate guide to Ramadan in Cairo if you want extra info.

Happy Ramadan. : RAWmuhDAWN kawREEM.

.رمضان كريم

Happy Ramadan to you too. : Kole SEHnuh w ENtaw TEYEyib / ENtee teyeYEHbuh.

.كل سنة وانت طيب

Egyptians use this greeting all though out the year! Not only Ramadan. You might actually lose track what they are celebrating!

It means something like “Every year, you stay blessed”…which is why it’s a “one-size-fits-all” kind of greeting.

Check out our guide to Egyptian Arabic greetings if you want to learn more!

Ramadan drinks. : mawshrooBAWT RAWmuhDAWN.

.مشروبات رمضان

Yes, its a huge thing in Egypt. They have specific delicious drinks that are made only during Ramadan.

Might be a good time to learn how to order juice at Cairo juice shops!

Are you fasting? : Enta SEYEyumm?

انت صايم؟

Fasting is very hard this year. :  EYEwuh Ana SEYEyumm. Bess elSEYEyumm SAW’uhb OWee elSEHnuh dee.

 .الصيام صعب قوي السنادي

No I am not fasting. : LAW Ana MISH SEYEyumm.

.لا انا مش صايم

Eat a date first. : KOLE BEHlaww elOWwll.

.كل بلح الاول

This is what you will say when you break the fast.

Dates are usually the first thing to be eaten, and after you’ve been fasting… they’re delicious.

And in case you are buying some fruit to be shared at Iftar, learn how to buy fruits and vegetables at an outdoor market.

Asking Questions About Ramadan

Here are the most important questions about Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic.

At what time is the Sohoor today? : elsawHHOOR elSAW’aw KEHM / emta?

السحور الساعة كام؟

Emta just means “when.”

Check out this list of Egyptian Arabic question words.

When is Iftar today? : ElfihTAWR EMtaw ELnuhHARduh?

الفطار امتى النهاردة؟

Do you want to break the fast together? : TohHHEHB NEFtawr SOOuh?

تحب نفطر سوا؟

This is directed at a male.

We will be posting our guide to verb conjugations soon. 🙂

Let’s meet up (literally: Come we meet) after Iftar. : Taw’EHlee NEHtuhEHbll BAW’dd elfihTAWR.

.تعالى نتقابل بعد الفطار

A lot of people break the fast with family most of the time, not friends.

Here is how you talk about your family in Egyptian Arabic.

What do you want to eat later? : ‘EYEizz TEHkoll AY BAW’DANE?

عايز تاكل ايه بعدين؟

Do you want eat dessert / desserts? : ‘EYEizz tawHHEHlee / helloweeaht?

عايز تحلي؟

No one ever said “No” to a Ramadan dessert, as they are just too delicious.

Opinions About Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic

Time to express your opinion!

Here is a post with some other vocab you might find useful.

What is your opinion about Ramadan? : RAWeek AY fee RAWmuhDAWN? 24 / sena dee

رأيك ايه في رمضان؟

I think Ramadan is great / amazing / brings people together. : Ana SHEYEiff en RAWmuhDAWN SHAWhrr ‘awZEEM / HHEHloo GEHdin / beeYEHGm’aw elNESS MAW’ BAW’tdh.

.انا شايف ان رمضان شهر عظيم/ حلو جدا/ بيجمع الناس مع بعض

Ramadan makes you think about basic needs. : RAWmuhDAWN beeYEHkhawLEEnuh nuhFUHkrr fee EHHteeawGEHTnaw elEHsawSEEuh.

.رمضان بيخلينا نفكر في احتياجتنا الاساسية

I don’t feel Ramadan this year. : Ana mish HHAWsiss b-RAWmuhDAWN elSEHnuh dee.

.انا مش حاسس برمضان السنادي

The “b” sound before Ramadan is basically saying “feel like.”

Fasting in heat (hot weather) is very dangerous. : EseyeYUM feel HHAR KHAWtrr GEHdnn.

الصيام في الحر خطر جدا

Even though it’s usually hot, it’s still good to know how to talk about the weather in Egypt.

Fasting is healthy. : ElseeYAHM mohFEETHD.

.الصيام مفيد

Fasting is not healthy. : ElseeYAHM MISH mohFEETHD.

.الصيام مش مفيد

Corona During Ramadan

We did an entire post about Coronavirus in Egyptian Arabic.

Here are some of the most important phrases.

Ramadan is different this year because of Corona. : RAWmuhDAWN mokhTEHliff elSEHnuh DEE AWluhSHANE kuhROHnuh.

.رمضان مختلف السنادي علشان الكورونا

Nobody is meeting with their families like every year. : muhHHAWdish beeEHbll AWhuloo ZAYuh KOLE elSEHnuh.

.محدش بيقابل اهله زي كل سنة

Ramadan has no taste without family gatherings. : RAWmuhDAWN melOOSH TAW’uhm men GHAIR LEHmoo el’EYEluh.

.رمضان ملوش طعم من غير لمة العيلة

Fasting is easy because we stay home (Lit: in the house). : ElseeYAHM SEHhll AWluhSHANE EHHnuh AW’DEEN feelBATE.

.الصيام سهل قوي علشان احنا قاعدين في البيت

Everything is closed after Iftar. : KOLE’HAga EHfuhloo BAW’d elfihTAWR.

.كل حاجة قافلة بعد الفطار

Complaining About Ramadan in Egyptian Arabic

Whoever said that everyone likes Ramadan?

Here are just two things you might say to complain.

You might also complain about traffic after the fast is broken. 🙂

I have a headache. : Ana MUHsuhSAW’.

.انا مصدع

The weather is too hot. : El GOW HAR OWee.

.الجو حر قوي

You will probably just be hungry though!

Example Conversation

(Note: Don’t know why these voice notes came out so quiet. Let’s just blame Tarek.)

Boy: Happy Ramadan. : Ramadan kareem, kol sana w enty tayba.

!رمضان كريم..كل سنة وانتي طيبة

Girl: Happy Ramadan to you too! : W enta tayb.

!وانت طيب

Boy: Are you going to eat Iftar with your family? : hatftary ma3 ahlek?

هتفطري مع اهلك؟

Girl: Yes, God-willing. Do you want to come? : ah inshalla, t7b tegi?

اه ان شاء الله… تحب تيجي؟

Boy: Yes of course, but I will pray first. I’m so hungry! : ah aked, bas hasali elawal, ana ga3an awy.

!اه اكيد…هصلي الاول …انا جعان قوي

Girl: Yes, me too, and also very thirsty…but only one more hour! : ah ana kaman, w 3atshana awy kaman, bas hanet na2es sa3a!

.اه انا كمان, وعطشانة قوي كمان ..بس هانت ناقص ساعة

Boy: Ok, I will see you after an hour. : tayb tamam, ashofek ba3d sa3a.

.طيب تمام اشوفك بعد ساعة

Girl: Bye! : ma3 elsalama!

!مع السلامة

Cultural Insight

What better way to spend Ramadan then to watch stories of love, betrayal, and deception?

That’s exactly what a ton of Egyptians do with “Ramadan Series.”

They are exactly what they sound like: TV series that only come on during Ramadan. Egyptians fast, eat, and then watch the next episode in the series. They usually last 30 or 31 days exactly (with an episode every day) to last the entire Ramadan. And actually (taken from personal experience), they are pretty good. It gives you an insight into Egyptian culture, and once your Egyptian Arabic is good enough, are really entertaining.

Ramadan while speaking Egyptian Arabic has never been more possible!

Good luck with all those dates. 🙂

…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo