Café & Drinks

1. عايز شاي لو سمحت

   ʿĀyiz shāy law samaḥt

   I would like tea, please

   Usage

   A woman says "ʿāyza shāy". "Shāy" is black tea.

   Grammar Note

   "ʿĀyiz + noun" means "I want...". Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

2. قهوة عربية لو سمحت

   Ahwa ʿarabiyya law samaḥt

   Arabic coffee, please

   Usage

   "Arabic coffee" is known as a traditional drink; not every café serves it.

   Grammar Note

   "Ahwa" also means a coffeehouse, so context decides. Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

3. مية ساقعة لو سمحت

   Mayya sāʾʿa law samaḥt

   Cold water, please

   Usage

   "Sāʾiʿ" is the colloquial word for cold things.

   Grammar Note

   "Mayya" is feminine, so the adjective is feminine ("sāʾʿa"). Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

4. عصير برتقان لو سمحت

   ʿAṣīr burtuʾān law samaḥt

   Orange juice, please

   Usage

   The colloquial word for orange is "burtuʾān" (standard: burtuqāl).

   Grammar Note

   A noun chain: juice + orange. Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

5. عندك لبن رايب؟

   ʿAndak laban rāyib?

   Do you have laban (buttermilk)?

   Usage

   In Egypt plain "laban" is milk; the sour fermented kind is "laban rāyib".

   Grammar Note

   "Laban rāyib" is noun + adjective. Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

6. من غير سكر لو سمحت

   Min ghēr sukkar law samaḥt

   Without sugar, please

   Usage

   Add it at the end of a tea or coffee order.

   Grammar Note

   "Min ghēr + noun" means "without...". Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

7. كوباية مية كمان لو سمحت

   Kubbāyit mayya kamān law samaḥt

   An extra glass of water, please

   Usage

   "Kubbāya" is the everyday word for a glass or cup.

   Grammar Note

   In the noun chain, "kubbāya" becomes "kubbāyit". Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

8. من غير تلج لو سمحت

   Min ghēr talg law samaḥt

   No ice, please

   Usage

   Handy for travellers who want to avoid ice made from tap water.

   Grammar Note

   "Min ghēr + noun" means "without...". The ج is pronounced [g]. Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

9. مية معدنية

   Mayya maʿdaniyya

   Mineral water

   Usage

   Add "law samaḥt" to make it an order.

   Grammar Note

   Noun and adjective, both feminine.

10. مية سخنة لو سمحت

    Mayya sukhna law samaḥt

    Hot water, please

    Usage

    "Sukhn" is used for things hot to the touch.

    Grammar Note

    "Mayya" is feminine, so the adjective is feminine ("sukhna"). Composed from words checked in dictionaries and corpora.

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