Getting around
مترو
المحطة الجاية.
Next station.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
How the language is used
Egyptian Arabic is the language of daily speech. News and formal writing use Modern Standard Arabic.
In this city
- Language
- Arabic
- Also heard
- Mostly Arabic
- A local word
- كشري — One koshari.
- Writing
- the Arabic script
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
كشك
واحد كشري.
One koshari.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The counter
قهوة
الحساب، لو سمحت.
The bill, please.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The street
شارع
صباح الخير.
Good morning.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
News and forms use Modern Standard Arabic. In the café, the taxi, and at home, people speak Egyptian Arabic.
Around Downtown, Khan el-Khalili, Zamalek, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Cairo can run on four lines: “المحطة الجاية.”, “واحد كشري.”, “الحساب، لو سمحت.”, and “صباح الخير.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Arabic script.
- A greeting comes before the order. A polite request adds a word for please.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Cairo, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: كشري. It means One koshari..
Places you can see
- Egyptian Museum — The historic museum building on Tahrir Square, long tied to Egypt's pharaonic collection.
- Khan el-Khalili — A bazaar in Islamic Cairo, with lanes of metalwork and spices.
- Cairo Citadel — Saladin's citadel on the Mokattam ridge, with the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.
Food
Koshari, ful, and taameya are everyday plates.
Getting around
The metro crosses the Nile. Between stations, you can use a microbus.
Daily life
A newsreader uses formal Arabic. The café table uses Egyptian Arabic.
A few everyday phrases
Arabic
| Phrase | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| مرحبًا | Marḥaban | Hello |
| شكرًا | Shukran | Thank you |
| صباح الخير | Ṣabāḥ al-khayr | Good morning |
| اسمي… | Ismī… | My name is… |
