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Egyptian Arabic- A modern Arabic dialect

Egyptian Arabic

Arabic is both the language of Government and everyday life in Egypt.
Egyptian Arabic, that you will shortly begin learning with the 17 Minute Language Courses, is a distinct Arabic dialect.
 
Egyptian Arabic is spoken by approximately 75 million people as a first language.
The script used for Egyptian Arabic is the standard Arabic alphabet.

Differences between Egyptian Arabic and Standard Arabic

Over time the Arabic of Egypt has acquired words and phrases that distinguish it from Standard Arabic.
For example many words from Turkish and French.
The biggest foreign influence is increasingly English: Many words from English are to be found in Egyptian Arabic.

Egyptian Arabic

The grammar of Egyptian Arabic also has differences to Standard Arabic.
For example in Egyptian Arabic the case endings are omitted.
Standard Arabic distinguishes between definite and indefinite nouns.
This distinction is omitted in Egyptian Arabic.

Standard Arabic

Today Egyptian Arabic is not recognised as a distinct language.
For this reason anyone interested in the culture and language of Egypt should also study Standard Arabic.

Arabic – a Semitic language

Arabic belongs to the Semitic languages which in turn belong to the Afro-Asiatic group of languages.
 
This group includes in addition to Standard Arabic and its dialects (Saudi Arabic, Iraqi, Moroccan Egyptian and Tunisian Arabic), Modern Hebrew, Aramaic and various Ethiopian languages. Arabic belongs to the Semitic languages which in turn belong to the Afro-Asiatic group of languages.
 
Arabic is spoken mainly in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Egyptian Arabic is by far the most spoken dialect of Arabic.

An overview of Egyptian Arabic

  • 75 million speakers
  • Dialect of Egypt
  • Semitic language
  • Characteristics:
    Gutturals, written from right to left, Vowels are not written, two genders for nouns(male and female), 3 cases (Nominative, Genitive, Accusative)
  • Script: Arabic letters

Learn with us the first phrases in Egyptian Arabic

Perhaps you would like to learn Egyptian Arabic now? We can help you. We have assembled some useful phrases for you: Learn your first phrases in Egyptian Arabic: (When you press the play button you will hear a native speaker pronouncing the words..)

hear Egyptian hello سلام Hello!
hear Egyptian my name is أنا اسمى My name is ...
hear Egyptian where you from انتا منين؟ Where do you come from?
hear Egyptian I come from أنا من I come from ...
hear Egyptian my age is أنا عمرى....سنة I am ... years old.
hear Egyptian please من فضلك please
hear Egyptian thank you شكرا Thank you!
hear Egyptian bye informal مع السلامة Bye! (informal)
hear Egyptian bye formal مع السلامة Good bye (formal)!

Further Reading about Egypt and its language: