Your First Egyptian Arabic Lesson: Basic Greetings

Learn the essential greetings and phrases you need to start your first conversations in Egyptian Arabic. Below you'll find key expressions to get you started—just note that some forms vary depending on your own gender or whether you're addressing a man or a woman.

How to say "Hello"?

If you just want to say hello, "ahlan" (أهلا) works perfectly. Egyptians also commonly greet with "izzayyak?" (إزيك؟) for males or "izzayyik?" for females, meaning "how are you?"

"Ahlan" (أهلاً) comes from the Arabic root word "ahl" (أهل), which means "family" or "people."

"Marhaba" (مرحبا) is understood in Egypt but it's more formal/Standard Arabic. Egyptians rarely use it in casual conversation—they prefer "Ahlan" or "Izzayyak/Izzayyik" for everyday greetings.

"As-salamu alaykum" (السلام عليكم) is widely used in Egypt as a respectful, religious greeting meaning "peace be upon you." The response is "Wa alaykum as-salam" (وعليكم السلام). It's common and appropriate in most settings.

How to say "How are you"?

In Egyptian Arabic, "how are you" is said as "Izzayyak" (إزيك) when speaking to a male, or "Izzayyik" (إزيك) when speaking to a female.

The reply is "Ana kwayyis" (أنا كويس) for males or "Ana kwayyisa" (أنا كويسة) for females, meaning "I'm fine." Egyptians often shorten it to just "Kwayyis/Kwayyisa".

How to say "Thank you"?

To thank someone, you can say "Shukran" (شكراً) for a standard thank you, or use "Metshakker" (متشكر) if you're male or "Metshakkera" (متشكرة) if you're female for a more casual Egyptian style.

How to say "Goodbye"?

The most common way to say goodbye is "Ma'a salama" (مع السلامة), which literally means "with peace." For a more casual farewell, you might hear "Salam" (سلام) or even "Yalla bye" (يلا باي), which mixes Arabic with English and is popular among younger Egyptians.

Applying What We've Learned

You now have enough foundation to start having basic conversations in Egyptian Masri. Let's see what this looks like in practice.

Ahmed: Ahlan! / أهلاً!

Fatima: Ahlan! Izzayyak? / أهلاً! إزيك؟

Ahmed: Kwayyis, w enti? / كويس، و إنتي؟

Fatima: Ana kwayissa, shukran! / أنا كويسة، شكراً!

Pronunciation Tip: Don't worry too much about perfect pronunciation at first. Listen and imitate as best you can. The effort is always appreciated!

Practice these simple greetings, and you'll be ready to start basic interactions in Egyptian Arabic. Keep learning!