A quick way into Egyptian Arabic
Start with the shapes, shortcuts, and real-life phrases you will actually see. No giant grammar book required.
A little practice from the dictionary
Start with one real word, then follow the examples into the rest of the guide.
Arabic letters, without the wall of text
These are the 28 letters you will meet in Arabic writing. Egyptian pronunciation can shift with the word, speaker, or region, so use the sound cue as a starting point—not a hard rule.
The examples are familiar Egyptian words, but there is more than one perfectly normal way to transliterate them.
| Letter | Name | Learner cue | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ا | alif | long a / a carrier | أنا · ana |
| ب | baa | b | بيت · beet |
| ت | taa | t | تمام · tamam |
| ث | thaa | often t or s in Egyptian speech | ثانية · sanya |
| ج | jeem | g in most Egyptian speech | جميل · gameel |
| ح | haa | strong h | حلو · helw |
| خ | khaa | kh, like Bach | خلاص · khalas |
| د | daal | d | ده · da |
| ذ | dhaal | often d or z in Egyptian speech | ذهب · dahab |
| ر | raa | r | رايح · rayeh |
| ز | zaay | z | زي · zay |
| س | seen | s | سهل · sahl |
| ش | sheen | sh | شكراً · shokran |
| ص | saad | heavy s | صحبي · sa7by |
| ض | daad | heavy d (varies by word) | ضهر · dohr |
| ط | taa | heavy t | طيب · tayeb |
| ظ | zaa | heavy z / dh | ظريف · zareef |
| ع | ayn | a deep throat consonant | عادي · 3ady |
| غ | ghayn | gh | غالي · ghali |
| ف | faa | f | فين · fein |
| ق | qaaf | often a glottal stop in Cairo | قلب · 2alb |
| ك | kaaf | k | كده · keda |
| ل | laam | l | ليه · leh |
| م | meem | m | معلش · ma3lesh |
| ن | noon | n | ناس · nas |
| ه | haa | light h | هو · howa |
| و | waaw | w / oo | وحشتني · wa7ashteny |
| ي | yaa | y / ee | يلا · yalla |
Franco: Arabic written with Latin letters
Franco (also called Arabizi) uses Latin letters and numbers to make Arabic easy to type. There is no single official spelling: people choose what reads clearly to them.
Think of these numbers as useful conventions, not a secret code. The same sound may appear with letters, a number, or both.
The numbers you will see most
| Number | Usually stands in for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ء / hamza (glottal stop); sometimes ق in Egyptian spellings | سؤال → so2al |
| 3 | ع | عادي → 3ady |
| 3' | غ (in some styles) | غالي → 3'aly |
| 5 | خ (common; kh is also used) | خلص → 5alas |
| 6 | ط (in some styles) | طالب → 6aleb |
| 6' | ظ (in some styles) | ظريف → 6'areef |
| 7 | ح | حبيبي → 7abiby |
| 7' | خ (a variant; 5 or kh are also used) | خلاص → 7'alas |
| 8 | ق or غ (varies by writer) | قلب → 8alb |
| 9 | ص (in some styles) | صاحبي → 9a7by |
| 9' | ض (in some styles) | ضهر → 9'ahr |
| gh | غ (letters instead of a number) | غالي → ghali |
Make your Franco easy to read
- Keep the spelling consistent inside one message: 7abiby and 7abebi are both readable, but switching halfway is confusing.
- Use 3, 5, and 7 when they help; write kh, sh, or gh if that is clearer for the person reading you.
- Vowels are flexible. ya5i, yakhi, and ya5y can point to the same word depending on the writer.
- When a word could be read two ways, add the Arabic spelling. It is the fastest way to remove guesswork.
Learn through situations, not flashcards
Open a small phrase guide, then jump into the real word page for examples and community meanings.
Phrase guidesEgyptian Arabic dictionary: meanings in Arabic and Franco
An Egyptian Arabic dictionary for meanings in Arabic and Franco, starting with 3abeet and real examples from everyday speech.
Essential Egyptian Arabic phrases for everyday life
Everyday Egyptian Arabic phrases with real examples, Arabic script, and Franco spelling from 3ammiya.
Egyptian Arabic phrases for a trip
Useful Egyptian Arabic for a trip: ask the price, find the bathroom, and say what you want naturally.
Egyptian Arabic phrases for texting
Egyptian Arabic texting phrases, with the literal meaning and the feeling each word carries in a message.
Egyptian Arabic phrases for everyday conversation
Simple Egyptian Arabic conversation phrases for checking in, keeping a chat moving, and reading the tone in Arabic and Franco.
Egyptian Arabic phrases for shopping and prices
Egyptian Arabic for shopping: ask the price, make a request, and say what you want naturally in Arabic and Franco.
Egyptian Arabic reactions and everyday slang
Egyptian Arabic reactions and slang you hear in conversations and chats, with the meaning and the real-life vibe.
Egyptian Arabic slang you will hear in real conversations
Egyptian Arabic slang you will hear in real conversations: calling out fake confusion, reacting to a bad joke, and smoothing over a moment in Arabic and Franco.
Egyptian Arabic greetings you will actually hear
Natural Egyptian Arabic greetings and hellos, from ahlan wa sahlan to sabah el kheir, with Arabic and Franco spellings.
How to say goodbye in Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic goodbye and safe-travel phrases for leaving, travelling, and coming back.
How to say please, sorry, and thank you in Egyptian Arabic
How to say please, sorry, and thank you in Egyptian Arabic, with natural Arabic and Franco phrases for everyday situations.
Egyptian Arabic coffee words you will hear in Egypt
Egyptian Arabic coffee words, from the neighborhood ahwa to plain coffee, with Arabic and Franco spellings and real context.
A tiny practice loop
Pick a word, notice both scripts, then try it in a sentence. That is enough for a useful first pass.
- 1
Search a word you have heard—try 3ammiya, ya5i, or 7abibi.
- 2
Compare the Arabic spelling, Franco spelling, and the examples people actually use.
- 3
Save the phrase in your own sentence, then add a better example if the page is missing one.
One useful Egyptian word, once a week.
Short, casual, actually useful. Get a fresh word, a real example, and the vibe behind it. No inbox clutter.