This is Egypt… Famous Egyptians (دي مصر: مصريين مشهورين) is the first book in the new ‘This is Egypt…’ series from Lingualism. Written in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, this eBook is designed for advanced Arabic learners (C1–C2 level) who want to push beyond intermediate materials and engage with authentic-style texts that reflect real cultural content.

Learn Egyptian Arabic through Culture

In this book, you will explore the lives of twelve of Egypt’s most famous and influential figures—from legendary singer Umm Kulthum and Nobel Prize–winning novelist Naguib Mahfouz, to modern icons like Mohamed Salah and Magdi Yacoub. Covering leaders, artists, scientists, and entertainers, the texts introduce you to vocabulary and expressions essential for understanding Egyptian society, history, and identity.

What’s Inside

Each of the twelve units includes:

• A full-length article written in Egyptian Arabic in a clear, expository style
• An English introduction to build background knowledge before you read
• Pre-reading questions to activate vocabulary and ideas related to the topic
• A key vocabulary exercise with ten terms highlighted in the text
• Comprehension questions (10 per unit) to check your understanding
• Discussion and essay prompts to practice critical thinking and expression in Arabic
• Professional audio recordings of each text, read by a native speaker from Cairo

Unlike Lingualism’s lower-level readers, these texts are not vocalized with tashkeel. This encourages learners to develop confidence reading Arabic as native speakers do, using their knowledge and the surrounding context (and accompanying audio!) to determine pronunciation.

Free Bonus Podcasts

As a free extra, we’ve included AI-generated podcasts in Egyptian Arabic for each unit, available only on our YouTube channel. In each episode, two voices discuss the unit’s topic in a conversational style, helping you consolidate vocabulary and ideas. To keep this focused on listening, only English translations (not Arabic transcripts) are provided at the back of the book.

Why Choose This Book?

• Perfect for learners who have studied Lingualism’s B2 materials and are ready for a new challenge..
• A complete learning resource that combines reading, listening, vocabulary, and critical thinking.
• Authentic exposure to Egyptian Arabic in context, with support materials to guide you.
• Deepens your cultural knowledge while strengthening your fluency.