Only in Egypt
Esraa shares with us some things she thinks are unique to Egypt and teaches us some useful vocabulary in the process.
Key Egyptian Arabic Expression: معلِشّ ma3alíšš
معلِشّ is used to downplay a situation, whether to console, sympathize, or apologize. The word originally comes from the Modern Standard Arabic phrase ما عليه شيء, which literally means nothing against it.
Key Egyptian Arabic Expression: كِده kida
كِده is likely the most quintessentially Egyptian word there is. Not only is it very high frequency in everyday speech, but it is unique to the Egyptian Arabic dialect. كِده is related to the Modern Standard Arabic word هكذا like this but takes on a range of idiomatic meanings on its own and in phrases.
Should I Learn Modern Standard Arabic or a Dialect?
Part 3 in the “Arabs Say…” series: If a foreigner comes to work or live in your country, should they learn Modern Standard Arabic or the dialect?
Do Arabs Write in Their Dialects of Arabic?
Part 2 in the “Arabs Say…” series: Do you ever write in your dialect? In what situations? How do you know or decide how to spell words?
Variations in Spoken Arabic within Countries
Part 1 in the “Arabs Say…” series: Does everyone in your country use the same dialect? Are there any differences in speaking styles between urban and rural areas, regions, social classes, religions, or generations?
Egyptian Arabic Orthography
Learn how to read the Arabic script and tashkeel (voweling) used in Lingualism materials.
20 Fascinating Tunisian Arabic Proverbs
Let’s explore twenty of the most famous Tunisian proverbs and discover their meanings and usage.
Tunisian Arabic Grammar
This is a brief introduction to Tunisian Arabic grammar. It covers the basics of noun and adjective inflections as well as verb conjugations. It also highlights some of the idiosyncrasies of Tunisian Arabic that distinguish it from other varieties of Arabic.
Tunisian Arabic: A Wonderful Mosaic of Dialects
Table of Contents Are you interested in learning Arabic and its different dialects? Are you curious about the peculiarities of Arabic dialects? Here is a small interesting
Getting Around in Cairo: Buses
Getting around Cairo can sometimes be tricky. Yomna tells us about taking buses in the bustling metropolis. Listen and learn some useful Egyptian Arabic words.
Buying Fruit and Vegetables in Egypt
Yomna tells us about where to buy fruit and vegetables in Egypt, while teaching us some useful words and phrases in Egyptian Arabic.