Chapter 1

Talking About the Present

Egyptian Arabic does not use one single construction for every present meaning.

The form you choose depends on what you want to express. You may use:

a verb with بـ for habits or actions happening now;
a present verb without بـ after words such as عايز and لازم;
an active participle for a current state or direction;
a sentence without a verb for identity, descriptions, and locations;
special forms for possession, existence, negatives, and questions.

This chapter will help you choose the correct construction naturally instead of translating English word for word.

Your Chapter Goal

By the end of this chapter, you can:

build and use the Egyptian بـ present;
describe habits, facts, preferences, and actions happening now;
use the present form without بـ;
describe current movement, position, clothing, and states;
make present sentences without “am,” “is,” or “are”;
express possession and existence;
make present sentences negative;
ask and answer common questions.

Preview the Present System

أنا بشتغل هنا.

ana bashtaghal hina.

I work here.

أنا عايز أروح.

ana 3aayiz aroo7.

I want to go. — male

هو نايم.

huwwa naayem.

He is asleep.

هي في البيت.

heyya fil-beet.

She is at home.

عندي عربية.

3andi 3arabeyya.

I have a car.

فيه مشكلة.

feeh moshkela.

There is a problem.

These sentences all describe the present, but they do not use the same structure.

Chapter Roadmap

1 Building the بـ Present

You learn how the present verb changes with:

أنا، إنت، إنتي، هو، هي، إحنا، إنتوا، هما ana, enta, enti, huwwa, heyya, e7na, entu, humma

You also learn how to study new verbs as past–present pairs.

2 Using the بـ Present

You use the same present form for:

habits;
actions happening now;
general facts;
feelings and preferences.

3 Using the Present Without بـ

You remove بـ after common words and verbs such as:

عايز، محتاج، لازم، ممكن، أقدر 3aayiz, me7taag, laazim, momken, a2dar

4 Active Participles and Ongoing Actions

You use forms such as:

رايح raaye7نايم naayemلابس laabesفاهم faahem

You also learn the ongoing patterns with:

قاعد 2aa3edعمال 3ammaalلسه lessa

5 Present Sentences Without a Verb

You describe:

identity;
professions;
people and things;
locations;
possession with عند;
having something with you using مع;
existence with فيه;
repeated states with بيبقى.

6 Negatives and Questions

You learn the main negative patterns:

ما...ش مش meshمعند...ش مفيش mafeesh

You also learn yes-or-no questions and the main question words:

إيه، مين، فين، إمتى، ليه، إزاي، كام eh, meen, feen, emta, leeh, ezzay, kaam

Complete the lessons in order. Each lesson adds one part of the Egyptian present system and builds on what came before.