“View Arabic as an identity you’re adopting” | Sherif Elmetwally | 9273 Roots #38
New Jersey-based Egyptian-American developer Sherif Elmetwally built Parallel Arabic, an AI-powered platform for acquiring dialects. He argues that embracing the language as a lifelong identity eliminates friction in the journey.
What drives a software developer with Egyptian roots to redefine how we acquire Arabic dialects?
For Sherif Elmetwally, the answer lies in eliminating friction. He built Parallel Arabic to streamline the learning process. He relies on the latest language models to power the platform, recognizing that AI processes Arabic precisely while humans frequently err. Integrating AI to drive your learning journey makes complete sense.
In this episode of 9273 Roots, we sat down with Sherif Elmetwally to meet the person behind the platform. He shares the genesis of his project, explores his connection to the Egyptian dialect, and reveals the personal philosophy driving his work.
Sherif Elmetwally
شريف المتولي
The Egyptian-American using AI to make learning Arabic dialects effortless.
How would you introduce yourself to someone who doesn’t know you?
My name is Sherif Elmetwally, I am a software developer/designer based in New Jersey (USA).
As someone with Egyptian roots who didn’t learn the language growing up I have recently been exploring creating tools to help myself and others in their Arabic learning journey.
Samia Louis turns classroom experience into a course that teaches the Egyptian dialect people actually use. Short dialogues, role plays, and cultural tips get learners speaking from day one.
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Parallel Arabic – How it started
Here is what Sherif Elmetwally says about how his project came into life:
After returning from a trip to Cairo, I decided I wanted to invest some time in learning the Egyptian dialect. I bought the famous textbook Kalimni ‘Arabi Bishweesh, which was great, but the main content was entirely in Arabic script, with translations and transliterations tucked away at the back of the book.
I found myself constantly flipping back and forth between the module I was reading and the answer key. This friction prompted me to build a project called Parallel Arabic (parallel-arabic.com), initially centered around parallel-text short stories where users could visualize English, Arabic, and transliteration side by side.
I posted the site on Hacker News (➤ link) and it received more interest than any other project of mine, so I figured this might be worth investing more time into.
From there I explored other digital resources and found them quite lacking. The majority focus almost entirely on MSA, which is no doubt useful, but not what I was looking for. Others offered structured lessons around general topics (alphabet, greetings, ordering at a restaurant) and some spaced repetition. Again, useful, but I found myself quickly hitting a wall.
What I really wanted was a place where I could keep track of the vocabulary I was learning and then see it in context, not just in isolation in an Anki deck. If I only ever drilled katab (كتب), “to write,” as a flashcard, would I even recognize ma katabush (ما كتبوش), “they didn’t write,” when I encountered it in a story, or god forbid in a conversation?
Parallel Arabic grew into a more comprehensive learning environment where users can generate their own learning materials around content they are actually interested in, whether that is short stories with quizzes, structured lessons, or practice sentences, all built around words they are actively studying.
Words can be added to the platform in several ways: users can select from the 20,000 words already available across four dialects (Egyptian, Levantine, Moroccan, and MSA), import a .txt or .csv file from notes they are keeping with a teacher, or generate vocabulary around topics they are interested in.
Remark: Using high-end AI models at scale isn’t free; it comes with real operating costs. With that in mind, the pricing is quite reasonable — subscriptions at Parallel Arabic start at $10/month.
What is your favorite Arabic book (novel, etc.)?
The Essence of Ideas in the Art of Architecture (خلاصة الأفكار في فن المعمار).
A book written by my father about Andalusian Architectural Arts and design.
How much time does a native speaker of English need to master Arabic?
Not sure I am qualified to answer this question… but I would say around 7 years of consistent study.
I personally think the best way to master Arabic is to stop viewing it as a subject you’re studying and start viewing it as an identity you’re adopting. In the same way a judo practitioner doesn’t ask “when am I done learning Judo”, a student of Arabic is never done.
You become a custodian of the language in some capacity. When you embrace it as a lifelong endeavor the pressure to finish kind of vanishes.
What is your favorite Arabic word?
Keda – كده. Translation: like this.
It is a very versatile word unique to the Egyptian dialect as far as I know. It’s a great tool to have when I’m not sure exactly what I’m trying to say.
Which Arabic word do you like least?
Any word with غ. I just find it tricky to pronounce.
Sherif Elmetwally in the courtyard of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the Blue Mosque), Istanbul (Türkiye). Photo courtesy of Sherif Elmetwally.
Which Arabic dialect do you like best?
Egyptian, but Moroccan Darija (الدارجة المغربية) sounds the coolest to me.
What is your favorite Arabic colloquial word or expression?
Howa 3ayes fe mayyet el-Bateekh (هو عايش في مية البطيخ).
It means: He’s oblivious. Literally: He lives in the water of the watermelon.
What is your favorite Arabic quote or proverb?
Repetition teaches even a donkey (التَّكْرَارُ يُعَلِّمُ الْحِمَارَ).
Parallel Arabic – The Use of AI
Here is how Sherif Elmetwally views the role of AI:
I’ve mentioned content generation a few times, so I should address what that means. It’s AI.
I’ll be the first to admit that human-created content will always be superior for language learning, and a tutor will always beat an app, but for a platform that is trying to be truly dynamic and personalizable, AI is a natural fit.
The main challenge is accuracy: making sure the generated content reflects the user’s target dialect rather than defaulting to something generic. The site currently uses a combination of Gemini and the Nile-Chat-4B model (➤ HuggingFace), an LLM trained specifically on Arabic texts, to catch and correct dialect inaccuracies (currently supported for Egyptian, Moroccan, and MSA).
In addition to content generation tools, I also leverage ElevenLabs text-to-speech API which provides dialect-specific voices, a huge step up from the default browser TTS support.
The tool is mostly targeting beginner, intermediate, and above learners looking for a reliable digital resource to augment their language learning journey.
What is the best thing that was ever said about the Arabic language?
“Arabic is like an ocean.”
You could say that about most languages, but it feels especially true with Arabic. Few languages span as many dialects, countries, and cultures – and fewer, if any, carry the religious significance that Arabic does.
What is the best piece of advice you were ever given?
If you’re going to do some action you have to do it with full conviction.
This was told to me in the context of playing soccer as a kid, but I think it applies to everything in life.
Which three people would you like to invite for dinner?
Some of my old friends who have moved out of the city.
“I personally think the best way to master Arabic is to stop viewing it as a subject you’re studying and start viewing it as an identity you’re adopting.”
Sherif Elmetwally
What was the last great meal you had?
General Tso’s chicken from Amin’s Halal Chinese in Jersey City.
General Tso’s Chicken is a well-known Chinese-American dish consisting of bite-sized pieces of chicken that are battered, deep-fried until crispy, and then coated in a thick, glossy sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and chili. The flavor profile is typically sweet with a mild to moderate level of spice.
General Tso’s Chicken – Photo by preppybyday, Oakland, California, USA; licensed under CC BY 2.0.
What is your favorite city?
Since this is for Arabic for Nerds, I know I’m supposed to say Cairo; but it just has to be New York.
Which book would you give to a dear friend?
So Good They Can’t Ignore You, by Cal Newport.
A bit on the self-helpy side, but it’s been helpful for me in finding fulfillment in my career.
Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love: In this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that “follow your passion” is good advice.
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What is your all-time favorite movie?
Might be due to recency bias since I recently came back from Japan but I would say Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away.
RemarkSpirited Away (2001) follows 10-year-old Chihiro, who becomes trapped in a spirit world and must work at a bathhouse to save her parents and find her way home. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio, founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata with producer Toshio Suzuki.
What music do you listen to?
Altın Gün has been close to the top of my Spotify Wrapped for the past few years. I stumbled on this live performance a while back and discovered that I am a fan of turkish psychedelic rock.
Altın Gün live in session — a hypnotic, high‑energy blend of Anatolian rock and psych‑folk captured in this raw KEXP performance.
Background Altın Gün is a Dutch‑Turkish psychedelic/Anatolian rock band formed in Amsterdam in 2016 around bassist Jasper Verhulst. Their music reinterprets 1970s Turkish folk and Anatolian rock with elements of psychedelic rock, funk, and synth-driven sounds.
The band has featured Turkish vocalist and bağlama player Erdinç Ecevit Yıldız, and vocalist Merve Daşdemir, among others, contributing to its signature sound. Their album Gece was nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards (2020).
Altın Gün – Goca Dünya: hypnotic Anatolian rock blending 1970s Turkish folk with modern psychedelic grooves.
When were you happiest?
I would say right now. Late afternoon sun is shining into my apartment, going to one of my favorite restaurants with my family in a few minutes.
Drißner, G. (2026, March 18). “View Arabic as an identity you’re adopting” | Sherif Elmetwally | 9273 Roots #38. Arabic for Nerds. https://arabic-for-nerds.com/interviews/9273-roots/interview-sherif-elmetwally/
Published: March 18, 2026
Please check the citation before use, especially if your style guide has local requirements.
Gerald Drißner (Drissner) has lived in Arab and Islamic countries for more than a decade. He is the founder of Arabic for Nerds.
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2 Comments
David Wilmsen
5 months ago
One of my favourite words in Egyptian Arabic is also كده, but it is not exclusive to Egyptian dialects. I’ve heard it in the dialect of Jeddah, which is very close to the Egyptian dialect of Cairo, and Emirati dialects have it, too, where it is كذه , pronounced either kiða or čiða. I think that my all-time favourite is بقى baʕa or sometimes just baʕ. It’s hard to translate. The closest I have been able to muster is it that bears some of the qualities of the German doch.
A couple of examples:
خلاص بقى
نسأل زينة بق
Roughly, ‘Enough, already!’ and ‘Let’s ask Zina, then.’
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Join the discussion: Sign in with social media for instant commenting, or register with email (comments require approval):
One of my favourite words in Egyptian Arabic is also كده, but it is not exclusive to Egyptian dialects. I’ve heard it in the dialect of Jeddah, which is very close to the Egyptian dialect of Cairo, and Emirati dialects have it, too, where it is كذه , pronounced either kiða or čiða. I think that my all-time favourite is بقى baʕa or sometimes just baʕ. It’s hard to translate. The closest I have been able to muster is it that bears some of the qualities of the German doch.
A couple of examples:
خلاص بقى
نسأل زينة بق
Roughly, ‘Enough, already!’ and ‘Let’s ask Zina, then.’
Yes, quite some time ago, I wrote about some of these tricky words in Egyptian Arabic – see this article.