Egyptian Self-Taught/Conversational Phrases and Sentences

by Carl Albert Thimm

CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES AND SENTENCES.

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Useful and Necessary Expressions.

English.		Arabic—Phonetic Pronunciation.
At last!		akīran!
allow me		ismaḥ li
are you hungry?		inta ga'ān
be careful, open your eyes		iftaḥ 'eynak
begone		imshi
out with you!		itl'a barra
by all means		'ala kulli ḥāl
certainly		la budd, m'alūm, na'am
come back		irg'a
come here		ta'ala hena
come in		idkhol, hūsh
do you hear?		inta sām'a?
do you know?		inta ārif, or ta'araf.
excuse me	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	sāmiḥ ni, or ma ta'akhiznīsh
forgive me
from here		min hena
good-bye		m'a es-salāmah
go away		rūḥ min hena
go on		imshi
give me		iddī-ni, a'atī-ni
how many times?		kām marrah?
holloa there! oh you!		ya inta!
immediately (in this time)		fil waqt, ḥālan
impossible!		ma yumkinsh!
in front of		qodām
in future (afterwards)		fil qābil (ba'adeyn)
it means (i.e.)		ya'ani
make haste		qawām, bil 'agal
many thanks		barakāt warsin
never mind		ma'aleysh
no		lā
take care!		'oā!
tell me		qul-ii
thanks		shokr
thank you		allāh yahfaz-ak
that's another thing		deh shey tāni
the sooner the better (to-day, before to-morrow)		en nahār deh qabl bukra
to the rear		li wara
very bad		radi, bil ḥamm
very much		ketīr qāwi
very nice		kwāyīs khālis
very often (much)		ketīr
very well		tāyyib, 'azīm
what?		eysh huwa? or eysh deh?
what is this for?		'ala ey deh ?
what is this?		deh ey deh?
who is there?		mīn henak?
who is this?		da mīn deh ?
why?		ley?
yes		na am, āywa
Simple and Practical Phrases.
Alas!		akhkh!
any news?		fi khabar?
are you in a hurry?		inta mista'agil?
as you like (to your pleasure)		'ala keyfak
bring a light here		hāt nūr henā?
bring me		gīb li, hāt-li
bring me a chair		hāt kūrsi
call the servant		inda el khaddām
come back		erg'a
do not annoy me		mā tiza'alnīsh
do not forget		mā tinsāsh
don't tell him		mā taqul-lūsh
do you think?		inta tet'tekr? or inta tezunn?
do you understand?		inta fāhim? or fahemt?
do as you please, please yourself		bi khātiruk
get up		qūm
give him		iddīh; iddī-lu
give him a second one		iddīh (or iddī-lu) tāni
give me		iddī-ni; a'atīni
give me a different one		iddī-ni waḥid gheyr-u
give me a little of this		iddī-ni shuwāyah min deh
go back		erg 'a
go more slowly		imshi bishweysh
go more quickly		imshi bil 'agal
good evening		leylt-ak sa'idah
good morning to you!		sabah el-kheyr! or nehārak sa'id
he appealed (against the judgment of a Court of Justice)		istanaf
he is a liar		huwa kaddāb
he is drunk		huwa sakrān
he is under my orders (hand)		huwa taḥt 'eydi
he is very angry		huwa zaalān ketīr
he is ill		huwa 'ayyān
he learned Arabic by himself		t'allam el 'arabi waḥid-u binafs-u
he told me		huwa qāl-ni
hold your tongue,(shut up) (end)		oskut (ikhlas)
how do you do?		salamāt? or ez-zeykum?
how many?		kām? or qad eyh?
how many piastres?		kām qirsh?
how much?		kām?
how much do you sell this (it) for?		tibi'a deh bikām?
how must we go to ————?		'anhu et tarīq ila ————?
I am astonished		ana mota'aggib
I am going		ana rāiḥ
I am not able		mā aqdersh
I cannot (it is not possible for me to)		ma yumkinnīsh
I assure you		ana a'akid lak
I have not		mā 'andish
I am angry with you		ana za'alān wāyyak
I am cold		ana bardān
I am hungry		ana gā'an
I am not hungry		ana mush ga'ān
I am tired		ana t'aabān
I am not accustomed to it		ana mā līsh 'adah fīh
I am wrong		el haqq 'aleya
I cannot		mā aqdarsh
I do not care		ana mā 'ala bāli
I do not know		mā 'arafsh
I do not speak the Arabic language		mā atkallimsh el loghah el 'arabīeh
I cannot learn Arabic if you speak English		mā aqdarsh at'alim 'arabi iza kān inta tetkallim bilingellīz
I have no appetite		mā līsh nafs
I have no passport		maā 'andiīsh tazkārah
I live at ———		anā sakin fi ———
I never saw him		mā shuftush abadan
I want		ana 'awiz (or 'auz, or 'ayiz)
I want to buy		ana 'awiz ishtiri
I will not (am not willing)		ana mush rādi
if you please		min fadlak
is everything ready?		kull shey ḥāder ?
it is not necessary		mush lāzim
it is your fault		el-ḥaqq 'aleyk
it is not my fault		ana mā 'andīsh 'eyb ("shame ")
I am mistaken		ana ghaltān
it is raining hard		yetmattar qāwi
it is too late		wakhri ketīr
it is very hot		ḥarr ketīr
keep to the right		khallīk 'ala yimīnak
knock at the door		ikhbat el bāb
lend me		sallīf-ni
let me help you		khallī-ni 'annak
light the candle		walla esh shama'a
light the fire		walla en-nār
lock the door		iqfil al bāb bilkeylūn
make haste		bil-'agal
my words have made no impression on him (he did not hear my word)		kalāmi mā sama'ūsb
oh! how dirty you are		ya! mā-inta wisekh
open the door		iftaḥ el bāb
permit me		ismaḥ-li, or īzin-li
ring the bell		rinn el garas, doqq el garas
shut the door		iqfil el bab, rudd el bāb
sit down, please		itfaddal oq'od
speak plainly		itkallam bil'ali
speak the truth!		qūi bil ḥaqq!
take care! no lies!		ilitazar! mā takdibsh!
take it		khud-u
tell him		qūl-lu
tell the truth (it straight)		qūl doghri
thank you		kattar kheyrak
that's enough!		bass! or bi-ziādah
there is no harm		ma fīsh darar
they are all alike		kullohum zey ba'ad
this annoys me very much		deh yiza'alni ketīr
wait here		istanna hena
wait until he comes		istanna lihád mā yeygi
walk slowly		imshi 'ala mahlak
we will eat		'āuzīn nākul
what are you doing?		bit'amil eyh ?
what did he say?		qāl eyh?
what does it contain?		fīh eyh ?
what do you say?		bitqūl eyh?
what do you want?		'āuz eyh?
what have you got?		eyh 'andak?
what is that?		eyh deh?
what is the difference?		el fark eyh?
what is the matter?		el khabar eyh?
what is the news?		el khabar eyh?
what is this?		eysh huwa?
what is to be done?		el 'amal eyh?
what is your name?		ismak eyh?
what is your opinion?		takhmīnak eyh?
what makes you angry?		inta za'alān leyh ?
what o'clock is it?		es sa'ah kām?
what pay does he get?		māhīyat-u kām ?
what shall I do?		ana a'mil izzay?
where are you?		inta feyn?
where are you going?		inta rāiḥ feyn?
where do you live?		inta sākin feyn?
where is he now?		huwa feyn dilwaqti
which house is yours?		anhī beyt bit'aak?
which horse will you ride?		anhu hosān tirkab?
will you allow me?		tismah li?
will you oblige me?		'amil ma'arūf?
will you take this?		tākhod deh?
who told you?		mīn qāl lak?
you must go now		lazim terūḥ dilwaqt
you are late		inta ta,akhart
you are right (the truth is in your hands)		el ḥaqq bi eydak
Directions to Workmen.
Bring a hoe		ḥāt turieh (u); ḥāt fas (l.)[1]
bring a basket		ḥāt ghalaq (muqtaf)
bring rope		ḥāt habl
dig here		ifhat hena
take from before you		imsek min qodam
take from behind you		imsek min wara
make it wider		'amal-u was'a ziādah
deeper yet		ghawīt lissa
go down deeper		inzel wāti lissa
go down to water		inzel lil moyyah
go down to native earth		inzel lil 'ard sāḥiḥ
go thus		māshi keda
take care of it		bishweysh min deh (lit., slowly with it)
leave it complete		khallīh salīm
turn it over		iqlib-u
do not break the bricks		mā tiksar-ūsh et tūb
are there mud bricks or burnt bricks?		fi tūb nāi āu tūb aḥmar ?
work, oh boy!		ishtaghal ya walad
pull; push		shield or shil (carry)
turn it		dāuwar-u
come and measure the work		ta'ala qīs esh-shoghl
but measure it		m'teqls-u
how much are the wages?		el ograh kām?
the work is by the day		esh shoghl bil yom
,,,,measure		,,,, bil qiās
this is very tough		deh yābis khālas
I cannot lift it up		mā aqdarsh ashīl-u
it is needful to have more men		lazim nās ziādah
ornament (-ed)		rasm (mersūm)
inscription (inscribed)		kitābah (maktub)
mound of ruins		kom, or tell
potsherds		shuqf
cemetery		gabbánah
grave		turbah, plu. turab
Travel Talk. — Arrival.
I want a boat		'auz wāḥed felūkkah
this is not big enough for us		deh mush kebīr bil kifāyah 'ala shān-na
no! it will not do		la! ma yenf'ash
can you take our luggage with you?		teqdar tākhod el 'afsh bit'a na wāyyak?
certainly, sir		ommāl ya sīdi[2]!
I will bring you a porter		agīb lak wāḥed shāyyāl
he can carry the lot by himself; he is strong		yeqdar yeshīl kullu bi nafs-u; karro
he has a cart, too		huwa gad'a[3]
there is first the custom-house examination		'andu kaman wahed 'arabīeh auwalan fi taftīsh el gumruk
we will go in the carriage		eḥna nerūḥ fil 'arabīeh
you must come with us		lāzim inta teygi wāyyā-na
tell me how much the fare is		qul-li el ograh bi kām
how much is the fare to the station?		bi kām el ograh lil maḥattah?
each person four piastres		kul shakhs arb'aa qurūsh
and the porter, how much?		wa'sh shāyyāl, kām?
he is entitled to ask two piastres, and is asking for baqshish because it is hot and the luggage is heavy		ḥaqq-u [his right] qirsh-eyn, wa huwa biyet-lob baqshīsh 'ala shān ḥarr ketīr wa'l 'afsh teqīl
is the luggage correct?		el 'afsh tamām ?
eleven pieces		had'ashra hittah[4]
you left one in the steamer		inta fūt wāḥedah fil wabūr
you must send the porter to enquire about it		lāzim tirsel esh-shāyyāl yis,āl 'an-u
there! [by God] I quite forgot it, sir [0 my master]		w'allah ! ana nesīt-u khālas ya sīdi
thank goodness!—someone is bringing it now		el ḥamdu l'illah! fi ḥad biyegīb-u dilwāqti
The Railway.
Is the station far?		el maḥhattah ba'id ?
no; a quarter of an hour's distance only		la ; masāfah rob'a s'aah bass
when does the train go?		el wābur yesāfir imta ?
in half-an-hour		b'ad [after] nūss sa'ah
anyhow, it will not start before the mails come		'ala kulli ḥal ma yesafírsb qabli ma teygi el bosta
we need not hurry then		mush lāzim nist'agil baqa
please go and get the tickets		min fadlak rūḥ wa gīb et tazākir
I want four first-class		'auz arb'aa meḥellāt daragah ula
there is a ticket short		fi tazkārah nāqes
never mind! I will bring you another		m'aleysh I agīb lak kamān wāḥedah
and the money; is it right?		w'al filūs, tamām? [complete]
one piastre is bad		wāhed qirsh batāl
[by the life of your father] I swear it is good		wā hāyat abūk! huwa tāyyib
you are right, it is only old		lak haqq, huwa qadīm bass
I would like to ask the interpreter		ana biddi is, āl et tergumān
there is no need to		mā fīsh lezūm
I will ascertain from him, all the same		ana istáfhem min-u bardu
the luggage goes without extra charge		el 'afsh yerūḥ ballāsh
no! I have paid 15 piastres; here's the receipt		lā ana dof 'aat khamast'ashrah qirsh; ahó el wasl
I wish you a good journey		m'a es salāmah I (lit. with safety)
you are travellers		ḥadrétkum musāfirīn
how long have you been in Egypt?		baqa lakum kām yom fi berr Masr?
we arrived only today		wasálna en nehār deh bass
are you going to Cairo?		intum rāyḥin fi Masr ?
we shall stay there four days waiting for the steamer		noqod henāk arb'at eyyām, mustannīn el wabūr
it is not enough; you require 2 or 3 weeks at least		ma yekfīsh; lāzim aqall guma'ateyn telātah
our intention is to see everything before we go back to England		qasdéna neshūf kullu qabli ma nirg'a fil bilād el ingelīz
good; perhaps I shall see you when you return from Upper Egypt		-kwāy-īs; insha,allah ashūf-kum lamma tirga'u min es Sa'id
please God!		insha, allah!
An Excursion.
Wake me early in the morning		saḥī-ni badri es subḥ
we are going to see the		eḥna rāyḥīn neshūf el āḥram bukra
Pyramids to-morrow do you want me to get the donkeys ready?		ḥadrétak 'auz in-ni aḥaddar el ḥemīr?
perhaps we shall go in a carriage, but anyhow we shall take food with us		yumkin nerūh fi 'arabīeh, walakin 'ala kulli ḥāl nākhod ākl wāyyā-na
yes, sir; everything will be all right		ḥādir ya sīdi, kulli shey yibqa tamām
you must take the necessaries for tea		lāzim takhod el ashya el lowāzimah li shāi
the teapot, the spirit, matches and everything must be wrapped in paper		el abrīq, es sbirīt, kabrīt, wa lāzim kullu yitlaff fi waraq
I have wrapped up everything and put it into the basket		ana laffeyt kullu wa ḥotteyt-u fil qafas
we can buy oranges and melons on the way		yumkínna nishteri bortoqān wa shammām (or batīkh) wa ehna fi sikkah
good; do not forget the wine		taāyyib ; ma tinsāsh en nebīd
we want to go up the Pyramids		biddínna nitl'a el āḥram
just as you wish, sir		zey ma terīd (or keyfak), effendim
it is not difficult, but it tires one		deh mush sa'ab, walakin yit'ab el insān (man)
I will bring two men to go up with you		agīb rāgileyn yitl'au wāyya ḥadrétak
this is not necessary		deh mush darūri
I am strong and can go up alone		ana gāmid wa aqdar atl'a bi nafs-i
get the tea ready at once		ḥaddar esh shāi ḥālan
the horse is going lame, and is very tired		el hosān biy 'urog wa ta'abān ketir
the driver is beating the horse without any reason		el arbaggi biyídrab el hosān bidūn sabab
he knows his business		y'araf shoghl-u
he is not cruel		Luwa mush qāsi
another time I will take someone else		tāni marrah ākhod wāḥed gheyr-u
they are all alike		kullohum zey ba'ad
have you made an account of what you have spent?		'amilt ḥisāb min el felūs (money) illi saráft-u ?
On The Nile
I have seen the dahabieh, and it is a very fine boat		ana shuft ed dahabīeh wa hiya merkeb 'aal
have you brought all the luggage down?		nazzált kul el 'afsh?
have you brought the vegetables and mutton, fowls and eggs; also provisions for the crew?		ishtereyt el khodārāt wa lahm dāni, wa firākh wa beyd; wa t'ayyināt lil merākbīeh
if the wind is not enough, we must use the oars		iza kan el hāuwa (or er rīḥ) mush kāfi, lazim nist-'aamil el maqādīf
the weather is beautiful		el hāuwa kwāy-īs
can we land and see the town after sunset?		yumkínna ninzel neshūf el balad deb, b'ad el maghreb?
as you wish, sir; but the people here are bad		zey ma terīd ḥadrétak, walākin en nās hena- batālīn
we are not afraid		eḥna mush khāifīn
if you walk on this side of the town, there is no objection		iza timshi nahayādeh min el balad, ma fīsh ba,as
I wonder where the boat is!		el merkeb feyn ya tara!
there it is, south of the town, on the east bank		ahó, qibli min el balad, 'ala taraf esh sharqi
to-morrow we will go shooting together		bukra neruūḥ lis-seyd sāua sāua
there are pigeons and quail and sometimes sandgrouse		fī ḥammām wa simān wa ba'ad el aḥyān qatt'a
I want someone to carry the cartridges and the basket with the food		'auz wāhed ragil yeshīl el fishénk wa'l qafas bil ākl
you will keep (walking) on the right and I in the middle		tekūn inta māshi 'ala el yemīn wa ana fil wust
quail are always to be found in the wheat		es simān tamálli māugūdīn fi'l qamḥ
you keep behind me and be silent		khallīk warā-ni wa oskot
I hit it; go and look for it		ana sībt-u ; rūḥ dauwar 'aleyh
I am tired, and it is very late		ana t'aabān wa wakhri ketīr
we have had good luck		bakhténa (our luck) tāyyib
it is nearly six, and we are hungry		sa'ah sitteh taqrīban wa eḥna ga'anīn
the Berberines are good fellows, and thoroughly acquainted with the river		el Barābra nās (people) tāyyibīn wa 'arifīn el bāḥr bil kullīeh
certainly, they work hard, and are not lazy		ma'alūm, yishtaghalu gíddan wa mush kaslānlīn
they are asking for their pay		humma tālibīn el mahīyah bit'aéthum
it is not due yet		lissa mush wafā
that is true, but they want to buy things for the fantasia	saḥīḥ, walākin bidduhum yishterū ḥāgāt lil fantasīeh
if this is the case there is no objection	fī hāza el ḥāl, ma fīsh mān'a
they are very pleased; and I too would like to serve you all my life	humma mabsutīn khālas; wa ana kamān 'auz akhdam hãdrétak tūl 'umr-i
perhaps we will go together another time	yumkin nerūḥ sāua sāua marrah tāniah
please God I will go south with your excellency next year	insha, allah arūḥ qibli wāyya jenābak es senah illi gāyah
will you give me a testimonial, please?	tiddĩ-ni shehādah min fadlak?
God keep you!	alláh yaḥfázak
good-bye!	m'a es salāmah

 

1. See p. 12.
2. Ommāl corresponds to "Rather! I should think so."
3. Gad'a (lit., brave). Used politely when calling out to any man, especially in the streets, to make way.
4. Hittah (sing.). Beyond ten the singular is always used.