How to Talk About Travel in Egyptian Arabic

Everybody loves traveling. But how to talk about travel in Egyptian Arabic?

We have you covered.

Read up, and before you do, get our FREE list to Egyptian Arabic resources here.

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

Main Vocabulary for Travel in Egyptian Arabic

Here are some of the most important words to know. After that we will give you phrases that you can drop in any Egyptian Arabic conversation.

Travel. : SEHfrr.

.سفر

Trip. : REHHlaw.

.رحلة

Country. : BEHlidd.

.بلد

City. : mihDEEnuh.

.مدينة

Plane. : TEYEyawRUH.

.طيارة

Ticket. : tuzzKUHRUH.

.تذكرة

Example Phrases for Travel in Egyptian Arabic

General Opinions About Travel

I love to travel. : Ana bawHHEHB ihSEHfrr.

.انا بحب اسافر

I think that traveling is great / useful/ fun/ overrated. : Ana SHEYEiff ehn elSEHfrr ‘awZEEM / mohFEED / MOOMtaw’ / mish HHEHloo.

.انا شايف ان السفر عظيم/مفيد/ممتع/مش حلو

I like to travel by plane / train / car. : bawHHEHB ehSEHfrr bellteyeYAWraw / belUHtrr / bel’AREuhBAYuh.

.بحب اسافر بالطيارة/بالقطر/​بالعربية

Traveling is always an adventure. : elSEHHfrr DAWeemehn moGHAWmuhruh.

.السفر دايما مغامرة

Plans For Traveling

I have traveled to… : Ana seFFAIRT…

…انا سافرت

I am planning to travel to… : Ana buhKHAWtit ehSEHfrr…

…انا بخطط اسافر

I want to travel… : Ana EYEizz ehSEHfrr…

…انا عا يز اسافر

Note that “EYEiss” here is used for planning, even though it technically means “want.” Egyptians, however, sometimes use it for planning an action in the future that will have a specific time frame.

You could also use the Egyptian Arabic future tense to discuss travel plans in the future.

Travel Problems

For discussing travel in Egyptian Arabic, you should also know how to talk about problems.

I don’t have/have a visa. : Ana MISH maw’AYuh….may’AYuh FEEzuh.

.انا مش معايا/معايا فيزا

See today’s “Cultural Insight” for some more information about this topic.

I have to renew my passport. : LEHzimm uhGEHdid elbassPOOR.

.لازم اجدد الباسبور

And for more specific reasons why you don’t travel so much? Give these a try:

I don’t travel a lot because… : Ana MISH bihSEHfrr kiTEER ‘AWluhSHANE….

….انا مش بسافر كتير علشان

…I don’t have money. : …mish maw’AYuh fihLOOS.

.مش معايا فلوس…

…I don’t have time. : …MAW’unDEESH WUH’tt.

.معنديش وقت…

…I don’t like to travel by myself.  : …MAWbahHEHbish ihSEHfrr leeWAHhuhdee.

.مبحبش اسافر لوحدي…

…I’m afraid of planes.  : …bawKHEHff men elteyeYAWruh.

.بخاف من الطيارة…

…nobody wants to travel with me. : …mawHHAWdish ‘EYEizz yihSEHfrr maw’AYuh.

.محدش عايز يسافر معايا…

Check out our post on the two forms of “have” and how to use them.

Asking Questions About Travel in Egyptian Arabic

Here are some common questions to ask people when discussing travel in Egyptian Arabic.

What is your opinion about traveling? : AY RAW’eeuck feelSEHfrr?

ايه رأيك في السفر؟

Where do you prefer (Lit: like) to travel to? : bittHHEHB tihSEHfrr FANE?

بتحب تسافر فين؟

Which city do you like the most (Lit: Which most city you like it)? : AY AWKtar mihDEENit bittHHEHBhaw?

ايه اكتر مدينة بتحبها؟

What is your favorite city, in your opinion? : AY mihDEENit elmooFUHtdhll bellnessBEHluck?

ايه هي المدينة المفضلة بالنسبالك؟

Where do you like to go / what do you like to do when you travel? : bittHHEHB tawROOHH FANE / TAW’MLL AY LAWmuh tihSEHfrr?

بتحب تروح فين (تعمل ايه) لما تسافر؟

Do you prefer going to parties or sightseeing (tourist places)? : bittHHEHB tawROOH HHAWfuhLEHT WAWluh ihMEHknn SEEawHHEEuh?

بتحب تروح حفلات ولا اماكن سياحية؟

Do you prefer going to the countryside to natural places or new cities? : bittHHEHB tawROOH mooZAWraw’ ehMEHknn tawBEEaw’EEuh WAWlaw MUHdnn guhDEEduh?

بتحب تروح مزارع واماكن طبيعية ولا مدن جديدة؟

The two different words for “or” in Egyptian Arabic are important to know.

Some Last Phrases for Travel in Egyptian Arabic

Traveling teaches us… : elSEHfrr beeYAW’LEHMnaw…

…السفر بيعلمنا

…about new cultures / about new ways of life / to see the world in a different way. : …SAWkawFEHT gihDEEduh / TAWruh heyeYEHY gihDEEduh / nuhSHOOF el’AWlmm bihSHEHkll mokhTEHliff.

.ثقافات جديدة/ طرق حياة جديدة/نشوف العالم بشكل مختلف…

How to say international stereotypes in Egyptian Arabic can also be funny when discussing travel. Just make sure that people know you are kidding!

I haven’t bought my tickets yet. : LISSuh MAWshtuhRETSCH eltooZEHkrr.

.لسه مشترتش التذاكر

Read this example again. Making mish sandwiches is definitely a good skill to have when talking about travel in Egyptian Arabic.

I want to take a trip somewhere soon, but I don’t know where. : ANA eyeIZZ ehSEHfrr ooREYEib bess LISSuh mish AW’RUFF FANE.

.انا عايز اسافر قريب بس لسه مش عارف فين

Cultural Insight

We won’t come here and tell you how important and fun traveling can be. There is a good chance that you have probably taken a fair amount of trips already…and maybe even lived in Egypt for a while! You know better than most about the benefits that traveling can provide.

However, that’s not the case for most Egyptians. While this is due to multiple reasons, financial burdens are on top of the list. The issue of getting a  visa to another country is also not an easy process.

Still, Egyptian youth have recently started prioritizing travelling over almost everything else (if they can afford it). Overall, this generation is really taking it more seriously than their parents / grandparents ever did. Throughout the years, there was always the classic question of “Travel vs. Throwing a Big Wedding” for newlyweds. In the last 10 to 15 years, there has been a huge shift . Lots of middle class couples are throwing out tradition by saving on weddings…and going traveling instead!

Made it this far and want more? Get our guide to Egyptian Arabic resources and continue your learning.

Good luck taking all those trips!

…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo