Browsing Tag

Egyptian Arabic

29 posts

Egyptian Arabic is referred to as العامية المصرية (al-ʿāmmiyya al-Miṣriyya) or simply مصري (Maṣri). It is also sometimes called اللهجة المصرية (al-lahja al-Miṣriyya), which means “the Egyptian dialect”.

A person with short hair sits at a wooden desk, writing in an open book, while a laptop to the left displays Arabic text. The scene is illuminated by warm sunlight streaming through a window, with beige curtains and a plant visible in the background.

2 minute read

Effective Arabic learning strategies for all levels

Once you've mastered the basics of Arabic, many people feel stuck on a learning plateau. How can you improve your Arabic and reach the advanced level?

May 2, 2018

One comment

A comic strip featuring an elderly man with a long white beard in various stages of transformation. The top row shows him in three panels labeled 'TO BE,' 'TO BECOME,' and 'NO LONGER,' displaying a calm demeanor while smoking. The bottom row mirrors this with similar labels, but the man appears increasingly disheveled and frazzled, culminating in chaos as he reacts dramatically in the last panel, with a book labeled 'TEETH' in his hands.

3 minute read

The multiple meanings of بقى in Egyptian Arabic

The verb بقى (ba2a or ba'a) is tricky in Egyptian Arabic. You'll hear this verb in many situations, usually with a past tense verb following it. We will take a closer look at بقى.

June 8, 2017

4 comments

Colorful letters 'ma' in a playful font against a soft-focus background of warm yellow and orange circles, creating a cheerful atmosphere.

2 minute read

Common Egyptian Arabic phrases with ما

Some expressions in Egyptian Arabic can be very tricky. They are all related to the word ما. Here is a list with many examples.

April 13, 2017

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A stylized illustration of the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, set against a desert landscape with palm trees and figures on camels in the foreground, under a sky with fluffy clouds.

2 minute read

Decoding filler expressions in Egyptian Arabic

Fillers make Egyptian Arabic difficult for learners: bass, ya'ny, ba'a - words that don't really change the meaning of the sentence. Here is a list.

March 18, 2017

4 comments

The word 'Lissa' is prominently displayed in a bold, rounded font against a warm orange background, with soft, wavy shapes resembling sand dunes beneath it.

2 minute read

Lissa in Egyptian Arabic

When I first started learning Egyptian Arabic, there was one word that gave me a headache: lissa -لِسّه; sometimes spelled لِسَّى or لِسّة. Let's see why.

March 5, 2017

5 comments

A beautifully ornate porcelain cup and saucer set featuring intricate blue and gold designs, with a decorative handle and an image depicted on the cup's side, placed against a neutral background.

3 minute read

Exploring Turkish and Persian roots in Arabic: pasha, mister and baksheesh

There are words in Arabic that don't look Arabic - and they aren't. The etymology of basha, bakshish, sitt, efendim, khan, dulab, fingan, and khorchide.

February 2, 2017

3 comments