Our biggest hope is that summer of 2021 will be better than summer of 2020.
More meeting people, more traveling, and more fun.
So, if you have any super sweet plans for this summer, and you want to talk about them with your Egyptian friends….here you go!
Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining….how to talk about the summer in Egyptian Arabic.
Vocabulary For Summer in Egyptian Arabic
Here are a bunch of random words that more or less describe “summer” (we know, Cleo Lingo is hella professional).
Summer. : seif.
.صيف
Hot. : 7arr.
.حر
Hot (to feel hot). : 7arran.
.حران
Sun. : Shams.
.شمس
Beach / Beaches. : Shate2 / Shawate2.
.شاطئ / شواطئ
Sea. : Ba7r.
.بحر
Travel. : Safar.
.سفر
Coast. : El-Sa7el.
.الساحل
Red Sea. : El-ba7r El-a7mar.
.البحر الاحمر
Even though you probably didn’t have as much “traveling” this summer as usual, check out our post on how to talk about travel in Egyptian Arabic.
Useful phrases for when you do get to take that trip!
Example Phrases For Summer in Egyptian Arabic
And now here are some example phrases with the vocab words.
We will also include some funny phrases towards the end.
It is summer! (we are in the summer). : E7na fe el-seif.
!احنا في الصيف
I like summer. : ana ba7b elseif.
.انا بحب الصيف
I am very hot. : ana 7arran awy.
.انا حران قوي
This summer is weird / great. : elseif da ghareeb/ gamed.
.الصيف ده غريب / جامد
Corona ruined by summer this year. : el corona bawazet el seif elsana di.
.الكورونا بوظت الصيف السنادي
How to talk about Corona virus in Egyptian Arabic is also a post we wrote.
As depressing as that sounds.
The weather is so hot. : el gaw 7ar awy.
.الجو حر قوي
It’s so hot that I can’t go outside. : el gaw 7arr awy, msh ha2dar akhrog.
.الجو حر قوي .مش هقدر اخرج
How to talk about the weather in Egyptian Arabic would be helpful here! 🙂
The sun is always shining in Egypt. : el shams 3alatoul tal3a fe masr.
.الشمس علطول طالعة في مصر
Specific Plans For The Summer
I want to sunbathe / tan (Lit: I want to take tan). : ana 3ayz akhod tan.
.انا عايز اخد تان
Let’s go to the beach (the sea). : yalla nrou7 el ba7r.
.يلا نروح البحر
I want to go swim at the beach. : ana 3ayz arou7 a3oom fe elba7r.
.انا عايز اروح اعوم في البحر
What’s the best beach in Egypt? : eh a7san shate2 fe masr?
ايه احسن شاطئ في مصر؟
Do you like the North Coast or the Red sea better? : bt7b elsa7el aktar wala el ba7r el a7mar?
بتحب الساحل اكتر ولا البحر الاحمر؟
The two different words for “or” would also be useful here. 🙂
Summer is always fun. : elseif dayman momte3.
.الصيف دايما ممتع
What’s the most fun thing that you did this summer? : eh aktar 7aga momte3a 3amltha fe elseif?
ايه اكتر حاجة ممتعة عملتها الصيف ده؟
Read out post on renting a felucca for some ideas. 🙂
Summer in Cairo is great / horrible. : elseif fe el qahera 7elw/ fazee3.
.الصيف في القاهرة حلو / فظيع
What are you going to do this summer? : hat3mel eh elseif da?
هتعمل ايه الصيف ده؟
Where are you going this summer? : hatrou7 fen elseif da?
هتروح فين الصيف ده؟
Do you have a vacation / did you have a vacation this summer? : 3andak agaza el seif da?
عندك اجازة الصيف ده؟
Some Funny Phrases For Summer in Egyptian Arabic
It is hot as shit! : elgaw 7arr fashkh!
!الجو حر فشخ
Faskhk is a great word to know.
Just means “very”…but “fucking / as shit.”
I only like summer because of the ice cream. : ana ba7b elseif bas 3alshan el ice cream.
.انا بحب الصيف بس علشان الايس كري
I don’t have my beach body yet. : ana lesa ma3mltsh formet elsa7el.
.انا لسه معملتش فورمة الساحل
This literally means: I didn’t make / prepare the North Coast “form” yet.
Coast form = beach body.
I always feel lazy/tired because of the weather. : ana dayman mefrhad bsabab el 7arr.
.انا دايما مفرهض بسبب الحر
Mefarhad is the feeling of being tired and too lazy to do anything.
Here are some other emotions in Egyptian Arabic.
It is usually because of the hot weather / because you already did a lot of physical effort (super advanced word).
Any in case you want to know how to insult your friends for their laziness….we have that too!
Hopefully summer is better next year! : inshalla el seif elgai yb2a ahsan!
!ان شاء الله الصيف الجي يبقى احسن
Cultural Insight
If you are Egyptian, or if you live currently in Egypt, there are probably two main places where you can hit the beach.
It’s either The North Coast or the Red Sea.
1.The North Coast (on the Mediterranean)
Although cities like PortSaid, Damietta, Alexandria and so many other cities are technically located on the Northern Coast of Egypt, only the coast starting west of Alexandria all the way to Marsa Matrouh is called “El Sahel”. There are a lot of beaches and private resorts along that way – that’s what Egyptians call it El Sahel.
Main Features:
– Almost 100% Egyptians
– Varies a lot in social classes, there are those simple a bit cheaper resorts that everyone can rent at, all the way to resorts that would cost you million Egyptian pounds per week
– Chill vibes, compared to the red sea activities, mostly people go to the beach during the day and private pool parties during the night
– High Sea waves
– Sandy beaches
– The sea colour is heavenly
– Very cold during the winter (nobody goes there)
– Very few hotels, you probably have to own a place or rent one there to be able to enter the private resort
2. Red Sea (technically the east coast of Egypt, but Egyptians just call it the Red Sea)
Main Cities: Hurgada, Safaga, Sahl Hashish, Marsa Alam, El Gouna (Including Sinai peninsula beaches, like Sharm El Sheikh, Ras Sedr, Dahab, and Taba)
Main features:
– Higher percentages of foreigners and tourists compared to Egyptians
– Lots of water activities and stuff to do (snorkelling, swimming with dolphins, parasailing, Kite surfing, and diving)
– Rocky beaches and lots of amazing coral reeves
– No big waves
– Could be visited during the winter as well since the area has a hotter weather
– Very Touristy (lots of hotels and rental places)
– Night life
*Dahab is totally different and have its own unique features and characteristics, check it out
Generally speaking, the upper middle and the higher class of Egyptians are the ones who would be able to travel to the places we mentioned in the north coast or to the Red Sea, although there are so many affordable beaches there, but that’s so relative.
Poorer classes would go to any coastal city like Alexandria, Port-said, sues, Ismailia, … and try to have fun on public beaches.
Iِf you didn’t have the chance to travel to any of these places this summer, you can enjoy the lovely weather of Cairo and start learning some phrases for the next summer 🙂
…
Happy learning,
Cleo Lingo
