If you are learning Egyptian Arabic, there are a lot of times you are going to have to introduce yourself. And an important thing to know is how to talk about your job in Egyptian Arabic.

Yeah, we agree: it’s scary telling people that you live in your mom’s basement.

But hey, if you’re gainfully employed?

Today, Cleo Lingo will be talking about….how to talk about your job in Egyptian Arabic.

Vocabulary To Talk About Your Job in Egyptian Arabic

Pretty basic stuff today.

Here is how you properly introduce your job to people:

I work as a…. : “Ana buhSHTUgll…”

….انابشتغل

My job is…. : “SHOghulee…”

…شغلي

…teacher. : “…mooDAREuss / uh.”
.مدرس/ة…

…engineer. : “mooHUNdiss / MOOhenDEHsuh…”
.مهندس/ة…

…doctor. : “…DOKtor / dokTORuh.”
.دكتور/ة…

…nurse. : “…mooMAREitdh / mooMARihthduh.”

/ممرض/ة…

…driver. : “…SOOuh.”
.سواق…

…chef. : “…tooBEKH/uh.”
.طباخ/ة…

….manager. : “…mooDEER / mooDEEruh.”

مدير…

I work at an NGO. : “Ana buhSHTUHgll fee NGO.”

.NGO انا بشتغل في

This last one is basically what every foreigner in Egypt does.

Or they’re dating somebody who does.

Or they live with somebody who does.

Cairo is a the world’s smallest big city.

You’ll see what we mean soon enough.

Where You Work

Now it’s time to get more personal.

They want to know what your job is.

They probably also want to know where.

Where do you live? : “SEHkin FANE?”

ساكن فين؟

This is a pretty common first question to ask.

You’ll see why in today’s Culture Corner.

Where is your work (lit. your job it’s place where)? : “shOWghluck mihKEHnoo FANE?”

شغلك مكانه فين؟

Good…close to home (the house)! : “kwAYiss…ooREYEib men elbate.”

!كويس.. قريب من البيت

Man…that’s very far! : “Yaww….daw bawED OWee!”

!ياه ده بعيد قوي

How long does it take you to work every day? : “bihTEHkhud AWD’ AY leelSHOWghll KOLE YOME

بتاخد قد ايه للشغل كل يوم؟

 

Some more specific statements:

I work at a… : “Ana buhSHTUGll fee…”

…انا بشتغل في

…big company. : “…SHAREuhkuh kuhBEEruh.”

.شركة كبيرة…

…small company. : “…SHAREuhkuh SOOgheyeAREuh.”

.شركة صغيرة…

…private / government school / hospital. : “…SHAREuhkuh KHEHsuh.”
.شركة خاصة…

…the government. : “elhawKOOmuh”

.الحكومة…

…public school. : “…muhDREHsuh dowLAYuh.”

مدرسة دولية…

…hospital. : “…mooSTEHSHfuh.”

مستشفى///

Fun fact: “hospital” is my absolute favorite word to write in Arabic.

Try it some time; it’s quite the rush.

…language center.  : “…MARkizz TAW’LEEM lohGHEHT.”

.مركز تعليم لغات…

…the house (home). : “…el BATE.”

البيت…

How Much People Work

This is a big topic in Egypt.

And sadly, quite often, full-time will mean something like 80 hours.

Egyptians don’t really sleep.

I work full time (every day) : “BuhSHTUHgll KOLE YOME.”

.بشتغل كل يوم

Quite often (like many languages), Egyptians skip the word “I” (‘ana”).

I work part time (half the week). : “buhSHTUHgll NOSS llesBOOuh.”

.بشتغل نص الاسبوع

Reasons For Not Working

The Egyptian economy isn’t exactly the strongest it’s ever been.

Ever since the “floating” of the currency in 2016 (and even before) Egyptians have been struggling.

They work long hours, don’t make too much money, and don’t have that many chances for better positions.

You can’t blame them for being out of work.

I am searching for a job now. : “bihDOWwurr AWluh SHOHgll dellWUH’tee.”

.بدور على شغل دلوقتي

I am unemployed (I do not work). : “ana MISH buhSHTUHgll.”

.انا مش بشتغل

I don’t want to work. : “mish EYEizz ehSHTUHgll.”

.مش عايز اشتغل

Yeah, some people are just like that.

I was fired from the job. : “ANa uhTRUHfuhdeht men llSHOWghll.”

.انا اترفدت من الشغل

I left the job. : “Ana SEHBT llSHOWghll.”

.انا سبت الشغل

And if you are one of those people everybody hates that is making the big bucks?

I am an entrepreneur. : “Ana RAWihd AW’MEHL / rawGELL AW’MEHL.”

.انا رائد اعمال / رجل اعمال

I have my own company. : “Ana AWNdee elSHAREuhkuh bihTAW’tee.”

.انا عندي الشركة بتاعتي

My family is rich (have money). I don’t have to work. : “AWhuhlee mawEHhome fuhloos. Ana mish mehhTAWG ihSHTUHghll.”

.اهلي معاهم فلوس. انا مش محتاج اشتغل

Expressing Opinions About Your Job

And then when the really important questions comes?

Do you like your job? : “bitHEHB elSHOWghll bihTAW’uck?”

بتحب الشغل بتاعك؟

I like / don’t like my job. : “Ana bawHEHB / mish bawHEHB SHOWghulee.”

.انا بحب / مش بحب شغلي

 

Is this a good job in Egypt? : :”Daw SHOWghll HEHloo fee MUHsrr?”

ده شغل حلو في مصر؟

Asking Other People

What is your job (lit. you you work what)? : “entaw bihSHTUHghll AY?”

انت بتشتغل ايه؟

Where do you work? : “bihSHTUHgll fane?”

بتشتغل فين؟

Hopefully they don’t work as a magician….because we forgot to cover that one!

Cultural Insight

In Egypt usually people don’t move out for a new job.

This is a combination of factors, including the culture of living at home until marriage, the rising prices of apartment, and good old fashioned TRAFFIC.

In Cairo, it’s quite normal to travel 30 miles every day to go to work or university.

And in a city the size of Cairo, with some of the world’s worst traffic jams, this is A LOT.

Good luck finally making it out of your mom’s basement. 🙂

…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo