At the University and in Class
Key Egyptian Arabic vocabulary, bi- present verbs, and classroom survival phrases for university life in Cairo.
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Questions Covered in This Set
12 cards to master
تخصص (takhassos)
Major / specialization
كلية (kolleyya) vs قسم ('esm)
Faculty/college vs department — note ق is a glottal stop in Cairo ('esm, not qism)
How do you form the habitual/progressive present in Egyptian Arabic?
Add the prefix بـ (bi-) to the present verb: ana badris = I study / I'm studying
What's the difference between 'badris' and 'adris'?
badris = I study (habitual/now); adris = bare present, used after another verb: 3ayez adris (I want to study), lazem adris (I must study)
Say 'What do you (m) study?' in Egyptian Arabic
Enta betedris eh? — إنت بتدرس إيه؟
How do you negate a verb in Egyptian Arabic?
The ma...sh sandwich: ma-fhemtesh (I didn't understand), ma-3andeesh (I don't have), ma-ba3rafsh (I don't know)
Momken tetkallem bi-shwesh?
Could you speak slowly, please?
Momken te3eed tani, law samaḥt?
Could you repeat that, please?
Name four common majors in Egyptian Arabic
handasa (engineering), ṭebb (medicine), ḥo'oo' (law), tigaara (commerce/business) — also 3oloom, adaab, e3laam, ṣaydala
El-waageb 3ala emta? / El-imtiḥaan emta?
When is the homework due? / When is the exam?
How do you address a professor in Egypt?
doktoor (m) / doktoora (f) — the standard address term; ostaaz or mudarris = teacher/instructor
Say 'I'm studying engineering, second year'
Badris handasa, sana tanya. — بادرس هندسة، سنة تانية
