Egyptian Arabic: Commands & Requests
Practice forming polite imperatives, negatives, and key request phrases in Egyptian Arabic.
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Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
How do you form the imperative in Egyptian Arabic?
Take the present-tense 'you (masc.)' form and drop the bi- and the ti-/te- prefix: bitiktib → iktib (write!). Add a helping i- if the stem starts with two consonants.
How do you make an imperative feminine or plural?
Add -i for a woman and -u for a group: iktib / iktibi / iktibu (write!); istanna / istanni / istannu (wait!).
لو سمحت (law samaḥt)
'If you please' — the most natural everyday politeness marker; law samaḥti to a woman. Also used to get someone's attention.
How does ممكن...؟ (mumkin...?) work?
'Is it possible...?' + present-tense verb turns a command into a polite request: mumkin tiftaḥ ish-shibbāk? — Could you open the window?
How do you say 'don't' (negative command)?
Use the present tense WITHOUT bi-, wrapped in ma...sh: ma tinsāsh (don't forget), ma tiʾlaʾsh (don't worry).
بلاش (balāsh)
A gentler 'no / let's avoid / don't' + noun or verb: balāsh sukkar (no sugar), balāsh titʾakhkhar (don't be late).
Name five irregular imperatives to memorize.
kul (eat), ʾūl (say), rūḥ (go), shūf (look), hāt (bring); also sīb (leave it), buṣṣ (look here), taʿāla (come), khud (take).
How do you reply to شكراً (shukran)?
il-ʿafw or wala yihimmak ('don't mention it'). And itfaḍḍal / itfaḍḍali means 'here you go / go ahead'.
Taxi directions: left, right, straight, stop here
ʿala shimāl (left), ʿala yimīn (right), ʿala ṭūl (straight ahead), waʾʾaf hina law samaḥt (stop here, please).
Café phrases: 'give me a medium-sweet coffee' and 'bring the bill'
iddīni ʾahwa maẓbūṭ (give me a medium-sweet coffee); hāt il-ḥisāb or politely mumkin il-ḥisāb? (the bill, please).
