Directions

1. فين المكان ده؟

   Fēn il-makān da?

   Where is it?

   Usage

   Best asked while showing an address or a map.

   Grammar Note

   The demonstrative "da" follows the noun.

2. ازاي اروح الفندق؟

   Izzāy arūḥ il-funduʾ?

   How do I get to the hotel?

   Usage

   Replace "hotel" with any destination.

   Grammar Note

   "Arūḥ" is the 1st person subjunctive of "rāḥ" (go). A composed sentence with regular grammar.

3. لف شمال

   Liff shimāl

   Turn left

   Usage

   To a woman: "liffi shimāl".

   Grammar Note

   "Shimāl" means both "left" and "north". A composed sentence with regular grammar.

4. لف يمين

   Liff yimīn

   Turn right

   Usage

   To a woman: "liffi yimīn".

   Grammar Note

   The imperative changes with the listener (liff / liffi / liffu). A composed sentence with regular grammar.

5. امشي علطول

   Imshi ʿala ṭūl

   Go straight ahead

   Usage

   The form "imshi" is the same for men and women here; the plural is "imshu".

   Grammar Note

   "ʿAla ṭūl" means "straight on / all the way". A composed sentence with regular grammar.

6. قريب ولا بعيد؟

   Arīb walla baʿīd?

   Is it near or far?

   Usage

   Easier to get across while showing a map.

   Grammar Note

   In questions "walla" means "or".

7. بالمشي كام دقيقة؟

   Bil-mashy kām daʾīʾa?

   How many minutes away on foot?

   Usage

   "Bi-" + noun marks the means.

   Grammar Note

   The noun after "kām" is singular. A composed sentence with regular grammar.

8. ممكن توريني على الخريطة؟

   Mumkin tiwarrini ʿal-kharīṭa?

   Can you show me on the map?

   Usage

   To a woman: "tiwarrīni". A map is the surest way, since place names are hard to pronounce.

   Grammar Note

   "Warri" means "show"; "-ni" is "me". A composed sentence with regular grammar.

9. أنا تايه

   Ana tāyih

   I am lost

   Usage

   A woman says "ana tāyha".

   Grammar Note

   The participle "tāyih" is masculine; the feminine adds -a.

10. الطريق ده رايح السوق؟

    Iṭ-ṭarīʾ da rāyiḥ is-sūʾ?

    Does this road lead to the market?

    Usage

    Literally "this road goes (to) the market?".

    Grammar Note

    The participle "rāyiḥ" means "going" and is used for vehicles and roads alike. A composed sentence with regular grammar.

11. يمين

    Yimīn

    Right

    Usage

    A vocabulary card.

    Grammar Note

    "ʿala l-yimīn" means "on the right". A composed sentence with regular grammar.

12. شمال

    Shimāl

    Left

    Usage

    The same word also means "north"; in directions it usually means "left".

    Grammar Note

    "ʿash-shimāl" means "on the left". A composed sentence with regular grammar.

13. علطول

    ʿAla ṭūl

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    A vocabulary card.

    Grammar Note

    It can also be written as two words, "ʿala ṭūl". A composed sentence with regular grammar.

14. ارجع

    Irgaʿ

    Go back

    Usage

    To a woman: "irgaʿi".

    Grammar Note

    Imperative, masculine singular. A composed sentence with regular grammar.

15. جنوب

    Ganūb

    South

    Usage

    The ج is read [g].

    Grammar Note

    The ج in "ganūb" is pronounced [g].

16. شرق

    Sharʾ

    East

    Usage

    The ق is read as a glottal stop [ʔ].

    Grammar Note

    The ق in "sharʾ" is pronounced [ʔ].

17. غرب

    Gharb

    West

    Usage

    A vocabulary card.

    Grammar Note

    In Egypt east points to Sinai and the Red Sea, west to the desert.

18. محطة الاتوبيس

    Maḥaṭṭit il-utubīs

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Ask "fēn maḥaṭṭit il-utubīs?" for its location.

    Grammar Note

    In a possessive chain the ending of "maḥaṭṭa" becomes -it.

19. محطة المترو

    Maḥaṭṭit il-mitru

    Metro station

    Usage

    Cairo has the only metro system in the country.

    Grammar Note

    "Il-mitru" is a loan from English/French.

20. السفارة

    Is-sifāra

    Embassy

    Usage

    Used with a country name: "fēn sifārit il-yabān?".

    Grammar Note

    In a chain the ending becomes -it (sifārit il-yabān).

21. ماكينة الصراف الآلي

    Makanit iṣ-ṣarrāf il-āli

    ATM

    Usage

    In daily speech many people simply say "ATM".

    Grammar Note

    A noun chain followed by an adjective: "automatic teller machine".

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