Transportation

1. فين محطة الاتوبيس؟

   Fēn maḥaṭṭit il-utubīs?

   Where is the bus station?

   Usage

   Asks for the bus stop or station. Egyptians say "اتوبيس" for bus, and the "ميكروباص" (shared minibus) is also a daily means of transport.

   Grammar Note

   The question word فين comes first and no verb is needed. محطة is in the construct state, maḥaṭṭit. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

2. تاكسي لو سمحت

   Taksi law samaḥt

   Taxi, please

   Usage

   Used at a hotel or restaurant to ask for a taxi.

   Grammar Note

   A noun followed by "لو سمحت" makes a polite request. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

3. المطار لو سمحت

   Il-maṭār law samaḥt

   To the airport, please

   Usage

   How to name your destination to a driver. The destination noun alone is enough.

   Grammar Note

   A shortened form that names only the destination. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

4. هياخد قد ايه؟

   Ha-yākhud add ē?

   How long does it take?

   Usage

   Asks how long a trip will take. The subject is left out.

   Grammar Note

   هـ + imperfect marks the future. "قد ايه" is the set way to ask "how much". Composed from dictionary-verified words.

5. خريطة المترو لو سمحت

   Kharīṭit il-mitru law samaḥt

   A metro map, please

   Usage

   Used to ask station staff in the Cairo metro for a route map.

   Grammar Note

   Two nouns in a row form a construct phrase. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

6. رصيف نمرة كام؟

   Raṣīf nimra kām?

   Which platform number?

   Usage

   Asks for the platform number at a station.

   Grammar Note

   A verbless question meaning "platform number how many". Composed from dictionary-verified words.

7. الاتوبيس ده رايح وسط البلد؟

   Il-utubīs da rāyiḥ wisṭ il-balad?

   Does this bus go to the city center?

   Usage

   Checks the destination before boarding. In Cairo "وسط البلد" is also the name of the downtown district.

   Grammar Note

   Raise the intonation to ask a yes/no question. رايح is a participle; for a feminine noun it is رايحة. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

8. بكام التاكسي لوسط البلد؟

   Bi-kām it-taksi li-wisṭ il-balad?

   How much is a taxi to the city center?

   Usage

   Asks for the fare before you get in. It helps to confirm first whether the meter will be used.

   Grammar Note

   بـ ("for") + كام asks the price; ل ("to") is written attached to the next word. Composed from dictionary-verified words.

9. ممكن تكتب العنوان بالعربي؟

   Mumkin tiktib il-ʿinwān bil-ʿarabi?

   Can you write the address in Arabic?

   Usage

   Asks someone to write down a destination for a driver or hotel. The spelling is the same to a woman, who is addressed as tiktibi.

   Grammar Note

   A request built as ممكن + imperfect. The feminine addressee form is تكتبي (tiktibi). Composed from dictionary-verified words.

10. نزلني عند المحطة لو سمحت

    Nazzilni ʿand il-maḥaṭṭa law samaḥt

    Please drop me at the station

    Usage

    Tells a taxi or minibus driver where you want to get off.

    Grammar Note

    An imperative with the suffix -ni ("me"). To a woman driver, نزليني (nazzilīni).

11. الاتوبيس جاي

    Il-utubīs gayy

    The bus is coming

    Usage

    Said or heard when a bus is approaching.

    Grammar Note

    جاي is the participle of "come"; for a feminine noun it is جاية.

12. لازم تركب الباص ده عشان توصل المتحف

    Lāzim tirkab il-bāṣ da ʿashān tūṣal il-matḥaf

    You have to take this bus to get to the museum

    Usage

    A sentence you may hear when asking for directions. "ركب" is the verb for boarding a vehicle.

    Grammar Note

    لازم + imperfect expresses obligation and عشان + imperfect expresses purpose. "باص" is an alternative to "اتوبيس".

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