A HOME FOR ANYONE ADDICTED TO ARABIC. 
JOIN ARABIC FOR NERDS➕

Support this site with a membership: For only $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year, you can have a true AD-FREE experience. You also get a 15% discount in my shop and a monthly premium newsletter. Find out more here.

SUPPORT THIS SITE

Passion doesn't need money. Unfortunately, my web provider does. Your contribution ensures that this site will grow and grow.

Buy Me A Coffee

PayPal Donate
amazon wishlist button
Free monthly newsletter

Subscribe to my FREE newsletter and get 10% off in my store!

cropped warning man

بقى in Egyptian Arabic – what does it mean?

The verb ba’a (بَقى) in Egyptian Arabic is tricky. You’ll hear this verb in many situations. In general, it is used with a following past tense verb.

Last updated: 1 year ago

The Egyptian Arabic word ba2a – ba'a – بقى can mean to be, to become, no longer, or to begin in Egyptian Arabic. You will hear this verb in many situations. In general, it is used with a following verb – and has various meanings.

Let's look at some examples of ba'a. Note that the vowel markers correspond to the pronunciation in Egyptian Arabic (ECA) and to the vowels in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).

The past tense (ماضٍ)

A. It can be used as a modal verb that expresses a constant or repeated action.

He has started to work harder.ba2a biyishtaghal atkar.بَقَى بِيِشْتَغِل أكْتَر
It is more organized now.ba2a fiih nizaam dilwa2tiدِلْوَقْتِي
She has started to cook well (not like before).ba2it bituTbukh kwayyis.بَقِتْ بِتُطْبُخ كُوَيِّس

B. With the negation it expresses to be (no longer) engaged in or accustomed to (doing sth.)

He has stopped visiting us.ma-ba2aash yizur-na khalaas.مابَقَاش يِزُورنا خَلاص
You no longer have time.ma-ba2aash 3andak wa2t.ما بَقاش عَنْدَك وَقْت
It is no longer so/that crowded as (it was) before.ma-ba2aash fiih za7ma zeyyi zamaan.ما بَقاش فِيه زَحْمة زَيّ زَمان

The present tense (مُضارِع)

In the present-tense يِبْقى or future tense هَيِبْقى – together with a following verb – it usually points to delayed future actions, to an action that will not happen soon – the idea of later is understood.

Thus, we could say that it functions as a modal verb of decision or . It may also be used with auxiliary words such as لازِم (must), يِمْكِن (maybe), etc.

If you add the future particle – which is in Egyptian Arabic a ه or ها – , then you can express more definiteness that the action will take place.

We have agreed then!nib2a ttafa2na نِبْقَى اتَّفَقنا
We will come to see you (fem.) soon.hanib2a niigi nshuufak 2urayyib. هَنِبْقَى نِيجِي نِشُوفِك فُرَيِّب
I will tell you laterhab2a a2ul-lak ba3deen. هابْقَى أقول بَعْدِين
Would you like to take the book and I'll get it from you later?thibbi taakhud ikkitaab wab2a akhdu minnak ba3deen? تحِبّ تاخُد الكِتاب وَأَبْقَى آخُده مِنّك بَعْدَين؟
After they got married, he did not allow her to go out.ba3d eg-gawaaz ba2a yamna3ha min il-khuruug.بَعْد الْجَواز بَقَى يَمْنَعها مِن الْخُرُوج.

Watch out

The verb بقى It can also simply have just the meaning of to be.

Is that your husband?da yib2a goozik?ده يِبْقَى جُوزِك؟
What kind of talk is that?ik-kalaam-da yib2a eeh?الكلام ده يِبْقَى ايه؟
How is this woman related to you?issitti di tib2aa-lak eeh?السِّت دِي تِبْقَالَك اِيه؟
Maybe that will be a little too lateyimkin yib2a wakhri shwayya.يِمْكِن يِبْقَى وَخْرِي شوَيّة

Watch out

It may also have the meaning of to become:

Good willing he will become a doctor!hayib2a Tabeeb 2in sha2allah.هَيِبْقَى طَبِيب شاء الله

The إِبْقى is often used to express a request referring to a later time! The negative command means “stop doing” – but expressing an act in the future.

Come (fem. person) and visit us!ib2i ta3aali zuriinaإِبْقِي تَعالِي زُورينا
Don't be late anymore!matib2aash tit2akhkhar taani.ما تِبْقاش تانِي

Watch out to find the right meaning

The word بَقى is also used as an of time (ظَرْف زَمان) in the basic meaning of already. For example:

Why don't you stop envying!matbaTTal 7asad ba2a! ما تْبَطَّل حَسَد بَقَى

And finally – one of the most common expressions in ECA that you will hear many times:

enough!bass ba2a! بَسّ بَقَى

Deepen your understanding of Egyptian Arabic:

Picture credit: Image by rickey123 from Pixabay

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
4 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
DH
DH
3 years ago

Great explanation! I could not for the life of me figure out this word بقى, just heard it randomly from my Egyptian Arabic teachers.

Mahmoud Rashwan
Mahmoud Rashwan
3 years ago

It is very controversial word for Egyptians and Arab in general. But it reveals the power of language that one verb can carry too many different meanings even though it is pronounced the same
Egyptian dialect to Arabic is like spices to food

ER
ER
6 years ago

I love this verb. It has so many usages. As a word and as a filler

بقالك قد إيه في مصر How long have you been in Egypt?

adrian
adrian
6 years ago

thank you. This has cleared up a lot of confusion I’ve been having with this word. Previously I only ever translated it to the English “become”.

Previous Article
theimam3

Are there TV shows in Classical Arabic with English subtitles?

Next Article
cropped blackcrows 1

How to watch Black Crows with English subtitles

Related Posts
egypt man
Read More

How do you spell لكن in Arabic?

Many students are confused why words like هذا, ذلك or لكن are written with a dash (dagger Aleph). Should they be pronounced with a long vowel ("aa")? Yes.

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter

Don't miss any updates and get your regular dose of Arabic.