Animals

1. كلب

   Kalb

   Dog

   Usage

   Dog. Some devout Muslims regard dogs as unclean, so ask the owner before approaching. It is also an insult, so never say it of a person.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. Plural: كلاب.

2. قطة

   Uṭṭa

   Cat

   Usage

   Cat (f.). A tomcat is قط (uṭṭ). Street cats are common in Egyptian towns.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. Feminine ending -a; the male is قط.

3. طير

   Ṭēr

   Bird

   Usage

   Bird in general; the colloquial counterpart of standard طائر.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. Also used as a collective noun.

4. سمك

   Samak

   Fish

   Usage

   Fish; the same word is the food. One fish is سمكة.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. Collective noun; one fish is سمكة.

5. حصان

   Ḥuṣān

   Horse

   Usage

   Horse. You will hear it around horse rides at the Giza pyramids.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun.

6. جمل

   Gamal

   Camel

   Usage

   Camel. Useful at camel rides near the pyramids and in Sinai.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. ج is pronounced g.

7. حمار

   Ḥumār

   Donkey

   Usage

   Donkey. Said of a person it is an insult meaning idiot.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. Plural: حمير.

8. بقرة

   Baʾara

   Cow

   Usage

   Cow. ق is pronounced as a glottal stop.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. ق is pronounced [ʔ].

9. خروف

   Kharūf

   Sheep

   Usage

   Sheep, often a young one.

   Grammar Note

   An Egyptian noun. Plural: خرفان.

10. معزة

    Maʿza

    Goat

    Usage

    Goat.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. The ending -a marks a feminine singular.

11. فرخة

    Farkha

    Chicken

    Usage

    Hen or chicken. The plural فراخ is also chicken meat. Standard Arabic is دجاجة.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. Plural: فراخ.

12. ديك

    Dīk

    Rooster

    Usage

    Rooster.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. The male counterpart of فرخة (hen).

13. بطة

    Baṭṭa

    Duck

    Usage

    Duck. The plural or collective is بط.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. Collective بط; one bird is بطة.

14. حمامة

    Ḥamāma

    Pigeon / dove

    Usage

    Pigeon or dove. The collective is حمام, as in the dish حمام محشي.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. Collective حمام; one bird is حمامة.

15. صقر

    Ṣaʾr

    Falcon

    Usage

    Falcon.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. ق is [ʔ].

16. قرد

    Ird

    Monkey

    Usage

    Monkey. Said of a person it is an insult.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. The initial ق is [ʔ] and is not written in the romanization.

17. تعلب

    Taʿlab

    Fox

    Usage

    Fox. Egyptian spells and says تعلب where standard Arabic has ثعلب.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. ث is pronounced t.

18. فنك

    Fanak

    Fennec fox

    Usage

    A small desert fox.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

19. ديب

    Dīb

    Wolf

    Usage

    Wolf. Standard Arabic is ذئب.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

20. ارنب

    Arnab

    Rabbit / hare

    Usage

    Rabbit or hare. Plural: ارانب.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

21. فار

    Fār

    Mouse / rat

    Usage

    Mouse or rat. Standard Arabic is فأر.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

22. تعبان

    Tuʿbān

    Snake

    Usage

    Snake. The spelling is the same as the adjective تعبان "tired"; context decides. Standard Arabic is ثعبان.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. ث is pronounced t, so it sounds close to تعبان (taʿbān) "tired".

23. افعى

    Afʿa

    Viper

    Usage

    Viper, a venomous snake.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

24. سحلية

    Saḥliyya

    Lizard

    Usage

    Lizard.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

25. عقرب

    ʿAʾrab

    Scorpion

    Usage

    Scorpion. In the desert and Sinai, shake out your shoes first.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

26. عنكبوت

    ʿAnkabūt

    Spider

    Usage

    Spider.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

27. دبانة

    Dibbāna

    Fly

    Usage

    Fly. The collective is دبان.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

28. نحلة

    Naḥla

    Bee

    Usage

    Bee.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

29. دبور

    Dabbūr

    Wasp / hornet

    Usage

    Wasp or hornet.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

30. نملة

    Namla

    Ant

    Usage

    Ant.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

31. صرصار

    Ṣurṣār

    Cockroach

    Usage

    Cockroach.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun.

32. قنديل البحر

    Andīl il-baḥr

    Jellyfish

    Usage

    Jellyfish. Useful on Red Sea beaches if you are stung.

    Grammar Note

    An Egyptian noun. A compound "lamp of the sea". The initial ق is [ʔ] and not written.

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