One of the most daunting parts of considering a move to another country is the language barrier. While many Egyptians speak English, especially in areas with a higher concentration of expats, learning some Arabic phrases can greatly enhance your experience and help you connect with your new community.

A quick note before you break out your Duolingo or Rosetta Stone app. Spoken Arabic and written Arabic are a bit different. Modern Standard Arabic, which is the written form (and what is typically taught in language learning apps) is a formal version of the language, and is not the way people speak. Think Shakespearean English vs. everyday English. What we’ll call “Egyptian Arabic” is the everyday form of Arabic that people speak in Egypt.

So here are a few helpful Egyptian Arabic phrases to help you settle in.

Good morning - sabah el-kheir (respond with sabah el-noor)

Good afternoon - masaa el-kheir

My name is - ana ismy

Yes - aiwa

No - laa

Thank you - shokran

You’re welcome - aafwan

Can I have - momken

Water - maya

Coffee - ahwa

And if you’re feeling super confident, throw in one of these fun colloquial phrases, and you might just get mistaken for a local. 🙂

Meshe - If you hear “meshe,” this means “OK.” Depending on the tone and context, it could be happy and agreeable, or slightly annoyed (i.e. “ok, ok, I’m coming!”)

Khalas - There one is used A LOT, and also depends on the tone and context. It generally means “done / OK / alright / finished / enough.” You can use it when you finish a task, or if you’re overwhelmed and just done. The possibilities are endless! 

Yani - This is another one you’ll hear a lot, but it doesn’t really have a particular meaning. It’s more of a filler word, a bit like “like” or “um” in English.

Inshallah - This literally translates as “if God is willing.” More often, you’ll hear it used more like “hopefully.” And sometimes it seems to feel more like “yep, that’s probably not happening.” :) If you’re super savvy, you can impress people by abbreviating it in text messages as ISA.

Alhamdulillah - This one is “praise be to God”, and is usually used when someone is happy or thankful about something. Think “thank goodness!”

Don’t be afraid to give your newfound Arabic skills a try! Pop into a coffee shop and try out “Sabah el-kheir! Momken ahwa? Shokran!”  There’s no need to worry about being scoffed at if you make a mistake - locals are eager to help, and will appreciate your efforts!