How To Deal With Sexual Harassment in Egyptian Arabic

Disclaimer for today: there is more than one way to deal with sexual harassment.

One way is to keep walking, and not do anything at all.

Keep that in mind as a woman. Today’s post, and the phrases you will learn, are meant as a “guideline” if you choose to say something. As two men, we at Cleo Lingo won’t pretend to know what the “best course of action” is as a woman.

We just want you to be safe.

Use these phrases with caution.

Let’s get started.

…

Sexual harassment continues to be a problem in Egypt,

If you have seen recent news, you know what we are talking about.

Sadly, this isn’t just a “recent problem,” but something plenty of women (foreigner and Egyptian alike) understand all too well. According to a 2008 survey by the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights, 83% of Egyptian women said they had experienced sexual harassment, as did 98% of women from overseas while in Egypt (different levels of harassment).

Sexual harassment happens in Egypt, and if you don’t speak the language, you can feel completely helpless in stopping it when it happens.

This is, of course, not to say that “Egypt is full of of potential harassers.” There are plenty of wonderful Egyptian men (Cleo Lingo’s own Tarek is a good example), and plenty of examples of them helping out women when the issues arises.

But still, knowing how to deal with sexual harassment as a woman is essential.

Hopefully today’s post helps.

Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining….how to deal with sexual harassment in Egyptian Arabic.

Vocabulary For Sexual Harassment in Egyptian Arabic

Today’s vocabulary isn’t that important. Just a couple words that might be helpful if you are going to talk about the topic.

The phrases you need to know how to say when sexual harassment happens are below, under “Phrases.”

Harassment. : tuhHHAWrush.

.تحرش

Sexual harassment. : tuhHHAWrush GINsee.

.تحرش جنسي

Man / Men. : RAWgll / rihGEHluh.

.راجل / رجالة

Woman / Women. : SIT / siTEHT.

.ست / ستات

Crime. : gihREEmuh.

.جريمة

Excuse. : mooBEHrir.

.مبرر

Example Phrases For Sexual Harassment in Egyptian Arabic

We have split this post into different “categories” (I cringe just as much as you do considering we are talking about sexual harassment).

This will help you decide what sorts of things you should say depending on the situation. As we said before, while it’s always your choice how to react to sexual harassment, be careful what you say. We are talking about WORDS, here; if somebody touches you, you obviously need to so something.

Basic Phrases To Use

No! : LAW’!

!لا

How to say no in Egyptian Arabic could help here.

Get away! : EHMshee men HEHnuh!

!امشي من هنا

Leave me alone! : SEHBnee fee HHAWlee!

!سبني  في حالي

Leave me alone (more slang)! : FUHkuck MEHnee!

!فكك مني

Enough! : kihFAYuh!

!كفاية

I understand what you mean! : ANa FAWhuhmuh Enta AWZZduck AY.

!انا فاهمة انت قصدك ايه

How to get people to speak Arabic with you is also useful for this sort of thing.

Of course, in this situation, only some of the phrases will be useful.

You are disrespectful. : ENta MISH mohhTAWrim.

.انت مش محترم

Behave yourself! : awhhTEHrim NEFsuck!

!احترم نفسك

You are rude! : ENtaw awLEEL elEHdub!

!انت قليل الادب

This isn’t funny. : Daw mish lawZEEZ.

.ده مش ظريف

Can you help me? This guy is harassing me. : MOOmkin TISSaw’EDnee? ElRAWgll DAW beeYAWHHuhTAWrush BAYuh.

.ممكن تساعدني؟ الراجل ده بيتحرش بيا

Do you talk to all women like that? : ENta betKEHlimm KOLE elsihTEHT KEHdaw?

انت بتكلم كل الستات كده؟

More Direct Things To Say With Sexual Harassment in Egyptian Arabic

These are some more “direct” things to say. Especially if somebody is actually touching you – get help.

What are you doing? : ENta bihTAW’mll AY?

انت بتعمل ايه؟

Don’t look at me. : MawtBOOsawLEESH.

.متبصليش

Don’t talk to me. : MawTETkawLEMSH maw’AYuh.

.متتكلمش معايا

Making mish sandwiches shows you the correct way to combine “mish” (don’t) with a verb.

In Case He Escalates The Situation

Here is what you might say in case the guy tries to escalate the situation / downplay what he is doing.

These are especially effective if other people see what is happening.

I will call the cops. : Ana hawKEHlum elSHORtuh.

.انا هكلم الشرطة

I will report you (to the police). : Ana hawBEHligh ‘AWNuck.

.انا هبلغ عنك

Help! : ElhawOOnee.

!الحقوني

This guy is trying to touch me! : El RAWgll DAW beeHHOWwll yellMISSnee!

!الراجل ده بيحاول يلمسني

Don’t touch me! : MawTELihmNEESH.

!متلمسنيش

Last Insults For Sexual Harassment in Egyptian Arabic

Careful with these ones.

These should only be used if you know you are safe, as they are the most “risky” for escalating a situation.

But if you are in a situation where you can safely insult an asshole – here you go!

You are pathetic (your family has failed to raise you) / disgusting /. : ENta MISH muhTRUHbee / MOHuhriff.

.انت مش متربي/انت مقرف

You are a horrible (rubbish) person. : ENta enSEHN yuhBEHluh.

.انت انسان زبالة

You are an animal (very common in this situation). : ENta heyeWHEN.

.انت حيوان

You think this is funny? : ENta FEHkrr EHnuck KEHda zawREEF?

.انت فاكر انك كده ظريف

God is watching you. : RawBEHnuh SHAYfuck.

.ربنا شايفك

This last one can be quite effective.

Maybe not the most commonly used phrase for this situation, but bringing God into it can do the trick.

Talking About Sexual Harassment

Now that you have important phrases to use for sexual harassment in Egyptian Arabic, here are some more “conversational” sentences.

This is when you are talking about the problem itself.

Sexual harassment is a huge problem / crime. : tuhHHAWrush mooshKEHluh kawBEEruh /  GINsee gihREEmuh.

.التحرش الجنسي مشكلة كبيرة/ جريمة.

I don’t mean any disrespect to Egyptian men. : Ana mish buhEHL men elrihGEHluh elMOOSruhEEN.

.انا مش بقلل من الرجالة المصريين

Sexual harassment has no excuse. : tuhHHAWrush / GINsee MAWLoosh mooBEHrir.

.التحرش الجنسي ملوش مبرر

The way women are dressed is not an excuse. : libss ELseht MISH mooBEHrir

.لبس الست مش مبرر

There has to be a strong punishment to harassers. : LEHzim YEHBuh fee awKKAWB shuDEED leelmooTAWhhr sSHEEN.

.لازم يبقى في عقاب شديد للمتحرشين

What can we do to fix this problem? : EeZAY MOOMkin n’AWlegh elmooshKEHluh dee?

ازاي ممكن نعالج المشكلة دي؟

It’s a problem in Cairo because….men look at me. : FEE mooshKEHluh feel KAWhuhruh awSHANE…elrihGEGluh bitBOSS ‘awLAYuh.

…في مشكلة في القاهرة عشان

الرجالة بتبص عليا…

…men try to talk to me. : …elrihGEHluh ​bitHHOWwll TEHkuhLEHMnee.

.الرجالة بتحاول تكلمني…

…men try to touch me. : …elrihGEHluh ​bitHHOWwll tillMISSnee.

.الرجالة بتحاول تلمسني…

…men are disrespectful to me. : …elrihGEHluh elMISH behTAWHHuhREHMnee.

.الرجالة مش بتحترمني…

What can we do? : MOOMkin NAW’mll AY?

ممكن نعمل ايه؟

So what can we do, Cleo Lingo readers? This is obviously a big problem ..so what is the solution?

Again, we don’t recommend a specific way to deal with harassers. While phrases in the local language are always important, maybe this is a topic where it’s safer to just keep walking. It’s unfair…but that’s what a lot of women have told us.

Also – different people have different experiences. Some people say sexual harassment in Egypt is horrible, while other woman have claimed that they never had a problem.

Something to keep in mind.

We invite you to comment on any advice / solutions you have for dealing with sexual harassment as a woman.

A special thanks to our friends (Sherifa, Donia and Olivia) for helping our male brains phrasing this post.

And, as always…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo