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 THE

BIG FAT BOOK

OF

EGYPTIAN
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ARABIC
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S VERBS
MATTHEW ALDRICH
WITH
YOMNA ADLY
© 2016 by Matthew Aldrich

Revised 2021

The author’s moral rights have been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the
publisher.

Cover art: © Fotolia / camiloernesto

ISBN: 978-0985816094

website: www.lingualism.com

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email: contact@lingualism.com

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... i
How to Use This Book ................................................................................................................................................ i
Pronunciation ........................................................................................................................................................... iv
Glossary .................................................................................................................................................................... ix
Example Table ........................................................................................................................................................... x
The Verbs .................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Index...................................................................................................................................................................... 534

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INTRODUCTION

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This book is designed as a learning tool for advanced beginner and intermediate learners of Egyptian Colloquial

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Arabic (ECA). It contains conjugation tables for 264 of the most common verbs used by Egyptians in their everyday
speech. Each table appears on a left-facing page, while the opposing, right-facing page gives several example
sentences demonstrating the verb in various contexts. All of the examples were written by a native speaker from

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Cairo and then translated into English. Care was given to provide a variety of forms for each verb (different
persons, numbers, tenses, negative forms, etc.) in the examples, following which are notes shedding more light

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on the verb’s meaning and usage.

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All of the Arabic in this book appears in both Arabic script and its phonemic transcription. The Arabic is written
with tashkeel (voweling) so that each word’s pronunciation is clear. The phonemic transcription provides an even
more accurate representation of the sounds of ECA, which cannot always be represented by the Arabic script. It
can also be helpful for learners who are not yet completely comfortable with Arabic script.

I would like to thank Yomna Adly for her tremendous help throughout this project. Not only did Yomna write the
example sentences, but she also answered numerous questions I had about verb forms and usage and checked
the accuracy of the conjugation tables, offering invaluable feedback along the way. Of course, any remaining
mistakes are my own. I would also like to thank Mohamed Maged and Heba Salah Ali for providing the excellent
audio recordings that accompany this book on MP3.

FREE ACCOMPANYING AUDIO

You can download or stream the
accompanying audio tracks from our
website, where you can also find
other resources.

www.lingualism.com/bfb

i | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

The Big Fat Book of Egyptian Verbs is not an introduction to ECA verbs. To best make use of this book, you should
have some Arabic under your belt, whether that be ECA or MSA (Modern Standard Arabic). It is assumed that you
already have at least a basic understanding of verb conjugation in Arabic and the use of tenses. But fear not, very
brief reviews are provided in the glossary on page vi. A review of the sounds of ECA and the phonemic transcription
is found in the Pronunciation section starting on page iii. For more in-depth coverage of verb tenses, see
Lingualism’s book Egyptian Colloquial Arabic Verbs: Conjugation Tables and Grammar, which lays out the system
by which all ECA verbs can be grouped.

This book contains 264 ‘key’ verbs, numbered for easy reference. They are ordered alphabetically according to
the Arabic script, with the exception of the first two tables. Verb 1 is ‫ ﻛﺎن‬kān ‘be’, which is arguably the most
important and common verb in Arabic and is used to form compound tenses. Verb 2 is actually not a verb at all,
but three common structures (pseudo-verbs) which are used with the verb ‫ ﻛﺎن‬kān ‘be’ and translate ‘have’.

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Next to each verb’s number (on the left margin of the left-facing page), you will see the base form of the Arabic
verb (that is, the masculine third-person singular perfect tense form) with a common English translation. A verb
often has many possible translations, and these are given after the examples on the right-facing page.

THE CONJUGATION TABLES

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Take a look at any of the conjugation tables in this book as you read the following paragraph:

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In ECA, there are eight persons (labeled on the left side of each table) and, therefore, eight conjugations for each
tense of a verb. (Strictly speaking, some of these should be called moods, not tenses, but for simplicity’s sake,

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we’ll call them all tenses.) The four tenses of ECA are the perfect, the (bare) imperfect, the bi-imperfect, and the
future. You will see each of these labels along the right side of each table. The four tenses and the imperative have
both affirmative and negative forms. The affirmative forms are listed on the left half of the table, while the
negative forms are on the right. At the bottom of the table, you can see the participle forms. Not all verbs have
both active and passive participles. Finally, on the left edge of the table, you will see the verbal noun(s).
(Explanations for all of these terms can be found in the Glossary on page vi.)

Take a look on page 1 to see an English translation example of a table, which will help you understand the
organization of the conjugation tables better.

THE RIGHT-FACING PAGE

Several example sentences are given on the right-facing page. Each example is numbered for easy reference. Try
to find the key verb in each example and match it to its place on the conjugation table. Notice if the verb’s
pronunciation is affected by neighboring words or suffixes. (See Pronunciation: Sound Changes) Take time to
analyze the sentence and notice how the verb is used in relation to other words. Does it take a direct object? Does
a preposition follow it? Does it seem to have just one meaning or several distinct meanings? Can you spot
collocations? Some of these questions will be answered for you in the notes.

Below the example sentences, you will see English translations for the verb. Synonyms are separated by commas,
while semicolons separate different meanings. If a verb requires a preposition before its object, you will also see
this here in parentheses. Note that a verb may require a preposition in one meaning but not in another.

ii | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

Preceding the translations, you will see square brackets. These contain references to the verb’s corresponding
table as presented in the book Egyptian Colloquial Arabic Verbs: Conjugation Tables and Grammar. In brief, Arabic
verbs can be grouped into a few dozen conjugation patterns. If you compare two verbs in this book that have the
same reference number in brackets, you will see that their conjugations are identical. Only the radicals
(consonants) are different. The book Egyptian Colloquial Arabic Verbs: Conjugation Tables and Grammar focuses
on the underlying organization of the verb system in Egyptian Arabic.

Under the line of translations, there may be bullet-pointed notes highlighting interesting points about the verb,
its forms, and its uses in some of the examples. It is beyond the scope of this book to gloss the vocabulary found
in the examples or explain the grammar. But hopefully, you can work out the individual meaning of most unknown
words by comparing a sentence to its English translation.

Finally, if the key verb can be found in examples on other pages in the book, these are referenced at the bottom
of the page.

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THE MP3S

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You can download or stream the audio tracks from our website. Each key verb has its own MP3 file, labeled by

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the table number it corresponds to. First, you will hear the base form of the verb in the perfect tense followed by
the imperfect tense, and then any common verbal nouns, as shown in the book. The example sentences follow,
in the order they appear on the page. You are encouraged to pause the audio at any time to repeat the sentences
after the native speaker(s).

THE INDEX

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At the back of the book, starting on page 534, you can find an English-Arabic index. Note that the numbers in the
index reference the table numbers of verbs and not page numbers.

iii | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 PRONUNCIATION

Egyptian Colloquial Arabic is a spoken dialect with no official status or rules of orthography. Egyptians tend to
borrow spelling conventions from MSA with some accommodations to account for ECA pronunciation. Arabic
script, however, is ill-suited to show the actual pronunciation of ECA and the sound changes that occur when
words are inflected. Even if you are comfortable with Arabic script, it is advised that you pay close attention to
the phonemic transcription to determine the exact pronunciation of words and phrases.

CONSONANTS
The following sounds are also found in English and should pose no difficulties for learners:
examples
b ‫[ ب‬b] as in bed bána ‫( ﺑ َﻨﻰ‬build)
d ‫[ د‬d̪ ] as in dog, but with the tongue touching the back of dáras ‫( درس‬study)

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the upper teeth
f ‫[ ف‬f] as in four fāz ‫( ﻓﺎز‬win)

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g ‫[ ج‬g] as in gas gíri ‫( ِﺟﺮي‬run)
h ‫[ ﻩ‬h] as in house hágam ‫( ﻫﺠﻢ‬attack)

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k ‫[ ك‬k] as in kid kal ‫( ﻛﻞ‬eat)
l ‫[ ل‬l] a light l as in love; but in the word ‫[ ﷲ‬ɫ] a dark, líbis ‫( ِﻟ ِﺒﺲ‬get dressed)
velarized l as in yell.

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m ‫[ م‬m] as in moon māt ‫( ﻣﺎت‬die)
n ‫[ ن‬n] as in nice nísi ‫( ِﻧﴘ‬forget)

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s ‫[ س ث‬s] as in sun sāb ‫( ﺳﺎب‬leave)
š ‫[ ش‬š] as in show šakk ‫( ﺷ ّﻚ‬doubt)

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t ‫[ ت‬t]̪ as in tie, but with the tongue touching the back of taff ‫( ﺗ ّﻒ‬spit)
the upper teeth
w ‫[ و‬w] as in word wárra ‫( َو ّرى‬show)
y ‫[ ي‬j] as in yes yíktib ‫( ِﻳ ْﻜ ِﺘﺐ‬he writes)
z ‫[ ز ذ‬z] as in zoo zār ‫( زار‬visit)
ž ‫[ ج‬ʒ] as in pleasure and beige; used in foreign borrowings žim ‫( ﺟﻴﻢ‬gym)
and sometimes written ‫ چ‬to distinguish it from ‫[ ج‬g].
v ‫[ ف‬v] (sometimes spelled ‫ )ڤ‬and [p] (‫ )پ‬appear in some seven ap ‫( ﺳﭭﻦ اپ‬7 Up)
p ‫ ب‬foreign borrowings, but may also be pronounced [f] and
[b], respectively, by many speakers

The following sounds have no equivalent in English and require special attention. However, some exist in other
languages you may be familiar with.

r ‫ر‬ [ɾ] tapped (flapped) as in the Spanish cara, or the ráma ‫( رﻣﻰ‬throw)
Scottish pronunciation of tree
ɣ ‫غ‬ [ɣ] very similar to a guttural r as in the French Paris, or ɣāb ‫( ﻏﺎب‬be absent)
the German rot
x ‫خ‬ [x] as in the German doch, Spanish rojo, or Scottish loch xad ‫( ﺧﺪ‬take)
q ‫ق‬ [q] like k but further back, almost in the throat, with the qād ‫( ﻗﺎد‬lead)
tongue touching the uvula
ɧ ‫ح‬ [ħ] like a strong, breathy h, as if you were trying to fog ɧáfar ‫( ﺣﻔﺮ‬dig)
up a window

iv | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 3 ‫ع‬ [ʕ] a voiced glottal stop, as if you had opened your 3írif ‫( ِﻋ ِﺮف‬know)
mouth under water and constricted your throat to
prevent choking and then released the constriction with
a sigh
ʔ ‫[ ء ق‬ʔ] an unvoiced glottal stop, as [ʕ] above, but with a ʔíbil ‫( ِﻗ ِﺒﻞ‬accept)
wispy, unvoiced sigh; or more simply put, like the con- ʔá3lan ‫( أ ْﻋﻠﻦ‬announce)
striction separating the vowels in uh-oh

The following sounds also have no equivalent in English but are emphatic versions of otherwise familiar
sounds. An emphatic consonant is produced by pulling the tongue back toward the pharynx (throat), spreading
the sides of the tongue wide as if you wanted to bite down on both sides of your tongue, and producing a
good puff of air from the lungs.

ɖ ‫ض‬ [dˁ] emphatic d ɖárab ‫( ﴐب‬hit)

ʂ ‫ص‬ [sˁ] emphatic s ʂamm ‫ﻢ‬
ّ ‫( ﺻ‬memorize)
ʈ ‫ط‬ [tˁ] emphatic t ʈáwa ‫( ﻃ َﻮى‬fold)

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ʐ ‫ظ‬ [zˁ] emphatic z ʐann ‫( ﻇ ّﻦ‬believe)

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VOWELS
examples
a [æ] normally as in cat (but with the
‫َـ‬ kátab ‫( ﻛﺘﺐ‬write)

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jaw not quite as lowered as in ma-bá3š ‫( ﻣﺒﺎ ْﻋﺶ‬he didn’t sell)
English); [a] as in stock when in the ɖárab ‫( ﴐب‬hit)
ɣáʂab ‫( ﻏﺼﺐ‬force)

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same syllable with ɧ or 3 (with the
tongue lower than [æ]); usually [ɑ]
as in father (but shorter) when in

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the same word as q, ɖ, ʂ, ʈ, ʐ, or, in
most cases, r
ā ‫[ ـﺎ‬æ:] / [a:] / [ɑ:] as with a above but nām ‫( ﻧﺎم‬sleep)
longer gā3 ‫( ﺟﺎع‬get hungry)
qād ‫( ﻗﺎد‬lead)
ē ‫ـ ْﻲ‬[e:] as in play (but without the glide malēt ‫( ﻣﻠ ْﻴﺖ‬I filled)
to [j])
ə
[ə] as in ticket. In ECA, ə is inserted kúntə hína ‫( ُﻛ ْﻨﺖ ِﻫﻨﺎ‬I was here)
to avoid three adjacent consonants.
i ‫[ ِـ‬ɪ] as in kid; [ɛ] as in bed when in
the same syllable with ɧ or 3; when 3ílim ‫( ِﻋ ِﻠﻢ‬know)
biyíɧsib ‫( ِﺑ ِﻴ ْﺤ ِﺴﺐ‬he calculates)
in the same word as q, ɖ, ʂ, ʈ, or ʐ,
itʐāhir ‫( اﺗْﻈﺎ ِﻫﺮ‬protest)
[ɨ] with the tongue pulled back a bit
ī ‫[ ـﻲ‬i:] as in ski; [ɛ:] and [ɨ:] as with i biygīb ‫( ِﺑ ْﻴﺠﻴﺐ‬he brings)
above (but longer) biybī3 ‫( ِﺑ ْﻴﺒﻴﻊ‬he sells)
3āqib ‫( ﻋﺎ ِﻗﺐ‬punish)
ō [o:] as with o above but longer
‫ـ ْﻮ‬ nōm ‫( ﻧ ْﻮم‬sleep)
u [ʊ] as in book; [o] as in know (but
‫ُـ‬ ْ ‫( ُﻳ‬he orders)
yúʈlub ‫ﻄ ُﻠﺐ‬
shorter and without the glide to inbā3u ‫( اِ ْﻧﺒﺎﻋﻮا‬they sold)
[w]) when in the same syllable with
ɧ or 3
ū ‫[ ـﻮ‬u:] as in moon; [o:] as in know (but bitšūf ‫( ِﺑ ْﺘﺸﻮف‬you see)
without the glide to [w]) when in maba3ūš ‫( ﻣﺒﺎﻋﻮش‬they didn’t sell)
the same syllable with ɧ or 3

v | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

SOUND CHANGES
A lot of the changes which occur in conjugated ECA verbs are due to the rules of syllable structure and stress. The
rules are summarized here using phonemic transcription only, as the Arabic script does not reflect these changes.
Vowel Shortening: When a suffix beginning in a consonant is added immediately after a syllable containing a long
vowel, or when a suffix causes the stressed syllable to move, the long vowel is shortened. This is because a long
vowel can only exist in a stressed syllable and cannot be followed by two consonants.
bagīb + ha = bagībha à bagíbha I bring it
ma + nām + š = ma-nāmš à ma-námš he didn’t sleep
sāfir + t = sāfírt à safírt you traveled
nisīt + ni = nisītni à nisítni you forgot me

A long ē is shortened to i.
ma + ɧabbēt + š = ma-ɧabbētš à ma-ɧabbítš I didn’t love

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Vowel Lengthening: A final vowel is lengthened when certain suffixes are added to a word ending in a short
vowel.

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ma + ráma + š = ma-rámaš à ma-ramāš he didn’t throw
3ámalu + u = 3ámaluu à 3amalū they did it
nísi + t = nísit à nisīt you forgot

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Vowel Elision: A short, unstressed i (or u) is elided (that is, omitted) from a word when its omission would not

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result in a series of three adjacent consonants, in other words, when the vowel is both preceded and followed by
a single consonant only. This does not happen in a final syllable, and it only happens in the first syllable if the

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preceding word ends in a vowel.
Vowel omission occurs when -it (the third person feminine singular (híyya) suffix of the perfect tense) or -u (the
third person plural (húmma) suffix of the perfect tense) is added to a sound measure I verb containing i:
šírib + it = šíribit à šírbit she drank

Notice that the elision may create two adjacent consonants following a long vowel, in which case the long vowel
must be shortened. In the second example, it is the feminine form of an active participle in which elision occurs.
sāfir + it = sāfirit à sāfrit à sáfrit she traveled
kātib + a = kātiba à kātba à kátba writing

Elision can also take place with the addition of a prefix. That is, the i of the imperfect prefixes ni-, ti-, and yi- is
elided when the imperfect prefix bi-, the negative prefix ma-, or the future prefix ha- is added, as long as the
elision would not result in three adjacent consonants.
ha + nifákkar = hanifákkar à hanfákkar we’ll think
ma + yisāfir + š = ma-yisāfirš à ma-ysafírš he doesn’t travel
bi + yitárgim = biyitárgim à biytárgim he translates
ha + tiʔūl = hatiʔūl à hatʔūl you’ll speak
bi + tiɧíbb = bitiɧíbb à bitɧíbb she loves

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An originally long vowel is normally not elided, even after it has become short because of a shift in stress. An
exception occurs in the following verb:
ma + tīgi + š = ma-tīgiš à ma-tigīš à ma-tgīš she doesn’t come

Elision can occur in the first syllable of a word if the preceding word ends in a vowel, as long as this would not
result in three adjacent consonants (as in the second example below).
híyya bitúskun à híyya btúskun she lives
húwwa biyɧíbb à húwwa biyɧíbb he loves

Vowel Insertion (Epenthesis): A short vowel is inserted when a suffix or a following word would create a situation
with three adjacent consonants. i is inserted between two consonants and the negative suffix -š or indirect object
pronouns. Direct object pronouns may take a, i, or u.
ma + ʔúlt + š = ma-ʔúltš à ma-ʔúltiš I didn’t say

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gibt + li = gibtli à gibtíli you brought (to) me

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šuft + ni = šúftni à šuftíni you saw me
šuft + ha = šúftha à šuftáha I saw her
šuft + ku = šúftku à šuftúku I saw you (pl.)

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Vowel insertion can also occur between word boundaries. When a word ends in two consonants and the next
word begins with a consonant, ə is inserted to avoid three adjacent consonants.

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biyɧíbb bint à biyɧíbbə bint He loves a girl.
ʔúlt ʔē à ʔúltə ʔē What did you say?

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Once ə is inserted, the vowel of the first syllable of the following word may be a candidate for elision.
kúntə mišīt à kúntə mšīt I had walked
kúntə bitúskun à kúntə btúskun you were living

Consonant Assimilation: A voiced consonant immediately preceding an unvoiced consonant tends to become
unvoiced. The table below shows such consonants in pairs—voiced consonants in the left column and their
voiceless counterparts on the right. The change is not reflected in writing, either in Arabic script or the phonemic
transcription used in this book.
voiced voiceless
b p b à p: katábt /katápt/
d t d à t: rafádku /rafátku/
ɖ ʈ ɖ à ʈ: ma-faraɖš /-raʈš/
v f -
g k g à k: nahágti /nahákti/
ɣ x ɣ à x: balláɣt / balláxt/
z s z à s: ɧagázt /ɧagást/
ʐ ʂ ʐ à ʂ: ɧafaʐt /ɧafaʂt/

The reverse is also true, so that a voiceless consonant followed by a voiced consonant may become voiced. Listen
for such sound changes in the accompanying MP3s.

vii | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

The prefix it- of many verbs is not only affected by the following consonant’s voicing, but, in relaxed speech, it
may be totally assimilated by a following d, ɖ, g, k, s, ʂ, š, ʈ, z, or ʐ.
itdāra à /iddāra/ be hidden
itɖárr à /iɖɖárr/ be damaged
itgámma3 à /idgámma3 / à /iggámma3 / come together
itkátab à /ikkátab/ be written
itsállim à /issállim/ receive
itʂāɧib à /iʂʂāɧib/ become friends
itšárab à /iššárab/ be drunk
itʈábax à /iʈʈábax/ cook
itzáɧlaʔ à /idzáɧlaʔ/à /izzáɧlaʔ/ slip
itʐábaʈ à /idʐábaʈ/ à /iʐʐábaʈ/ be adjusted

Vowel Assimilation: Two vowels cannot occur together. When the addition of a prefix or preceding word would
result in such a case, one vowel is assimilated into the other. As seen in the last example below, this also applies

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across word boundaries in some cases.

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ma- + itkátab + š = ma-itkátabš à ma-tkatábš it wasn’t written
ma- + áktib + š = ma-áktibš à ma-ktíbš I don’t write

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ha- + áktib = haáktib à háktib I will write
yi- + istáxdim = yiistáxdim à yistáxdim he uses
ána + istaxdímt = ána istaxdímt à ána staxdímt I used

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Vowel assimilation also occurs with the final vowel a verb ends in a or u. Thi vowel is dropped when a suffix

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beginning with a vowel is added.
yímši + -u = yímšiu à yímšu they walk

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tínsa + -i = tínsai à tínsi you (f.) forget
ráma + -u = rámau à rámu they threw
mála + -it = málait à málit she filled

When -it and -u are added to a verb ending in i, the i changes into a y.
nísi + -it = nísiit à nísyit she forgot
míši + -u = míšiu à míšyu they walked

viii | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 GLOSSARY
active participle: In English, the active participle (commonly known as the present participle) ends in -ing. It can
be used as an adjective, as in the singing bird or the book is interesting. In ECA, active participles are also used
as quasi-verbs, often corresponding to the present perfect (I have eaten) or present continuous (I am going)
of English. An active participle agrees with its subject in gender or number but is otherwise unconjugated.
affirmative: This is simply a verb that is grammatically not negative. I like and I dislike are affirmative verbs, while
I don’t like and I don’t dislike are negative verbs.
auxiliary: An auxiliary is a conjugated verb or participle that precedes an imperfect verb. This corresponds to verbs
that precede an infinitive or gerund in English: I might come. / I need to go. / I like drawing.
bi-imperfect: The bi-imperfect tense is formed by adding the prefix ‫ ِﺑـ‬bi- to the imperfect tense. It is essentially
the present tense of ECA, translating as the present simple (I write) or the present continuous (I am writing)
of English. It can express a repeated (habitual) action or an ongoing (continuous) action.
collocation: A collocation is a combination of two or more words that are commonly found together. Collocations

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can be adjectives with nouns (fast car, cold day), verbs with nouns (quit a job, play soccer), etc. By comparison,

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combinations like cold car, fast day, and quit soccer are far less common, and play a job hardly makes sense.
ditransitive: A ditransitive verb takes two direct objects. English and Arabic are similar in their use of ditransitive
verbs. In the example give me the pen, the verb give has two objects me and the pen. By comparison, the verb

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explain is not ditransitive. You cannot say explain me it. Instead, you have to use a preposition before one of
the objects: explain it to me.
future: The future tense in Arabic is formed with the prefix ‫ ﻫـ‬ha-. (Note that it can also be written and pronounced

m
‫ ﺣـ‬ɧa.) ‫ ﻫ ْﻌ ِﻤﻞ‬há3mil, for example, can be translated as I will do, I’m going to do, or I’m doing in English.
imperative: The imperative is the command form used to give an order: Do! / Don’t do!

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imperfect: The imperfect tense of ECA is comparable to the subjunctive of MSA. It is most commonly used after
certain conjunctions, and also after auxiliaries and other verbs. It would be used to translate the following

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underlined words: I’m studying in order to pass the test. / I want to go. / I can swim. / I have to try / I like
drawing.
intransitive: An intransitive verb cannot take a direct object. (See transitive)
invariable: If an adjective is invariable, it remains in the masculine form, not taking the feminine suffix ‫ ـﻪ‬-a or
plural suffix Q‫ ـ‬-īn. An invariable verb remains in the masculine third-person form.
negative: A negative verb is formed in ECA with the prefix-suffix combo ‫ـﺶ‬.....‫ ﻣـ‬ma-…-š or the word ‫ ِﻣﺶ‬miš (also
pronounced ‫ ُﻣﺶ‬muš). In English, this is done using the word not, in various forms such as didn’t, don’t, doesn’t,
and won’t.
participle: Participles are the adjective forms of verbs. (See active participle and passive participle.)
passive participle: Passive participles are derived from verbs but are used as adjectives. In English, this may be
referred to as the past participle and is formed with -ed or may be irregular: cooked, written, done.
perfect: The perfect tense is the past tense of ECA. It is usually translated with the past simple of English (I did) or
the present perfect (I have done).
transitive: A transitive verb takes, or at least can take, a direct object. If the object requires a preposition, the verb
is not considered transitive. For example, see is transitive: I see it. But go is intransitive because you cannot
go something, although you can go to something.
verbal noun: A verbal noun is also known as a gerund, and in Arabic grammars, as maʂdar. The English gerund
always ends in -ing. However, in Arabic it may take many different forms. It always expresses an action (the
act of __ing), rather than a tangible object. The verbal noun is, as the name implies, a noun form derived from
a verb. As such, it can be the subject or object of a verb: Cooking is fun. / I’m interested in learning more about
that.

ix | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 EXAMPLE TABLE

This is an English translation example to help you understand the organization of a conjugation table.

affirmative negative
0 to write

I I wrote I didn’t write

we we wrote we didn’t write
you (m.) you wrote you didn’t write

perfect
you (f.) you wrote you didn’t write
you (pl.) you wrote you didn’t write
he (it) he wrote he didn’t write
she (it/they) she wrote she didn’t write
they they wrote they didn’t write

I I write I don’t write

e
we we write we don’t write

l
imperfect
you (m.) you write you don’t write
you (f.) you write you don’t write
you (pl.) you write you don’t write

p
he (it) he writes he doesn’t write
she (it/they) she writes she doesn’t write
they they write they don’t write

m
I I write I don’t write

bi-imperfect
we we write we don’t write
you (m.) you write you don’t write

a
you (f.) you write you don’t write
you (pl.) you write you don’t write

S
he (it) he writes he doesn’t write
she (it/they) she writes she doesn’t write
they they write they don’t write
I I will write I won’t write
we we will write we won’t write
you (m.) you will write you won’t write
future

you (f.) you will write you won’t write

you (pl.) you will write you won’t write
verbal noun: (the act of) writing

he (it) he will write he won’t write

she (it/they) she will write she won’t write
they they will write they won’t write
imperative

you (m.) write! don’t write!

you (f.) write! don’t write!
you (pl.) write! don’t write!

active passive
writing written
participles

masculine
feminine writing written
plural writing written

Note that the tenses can be translated in more than one way. See the Glossary for details on the tenses.

x | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 p l
THE VERBS e
a m
S
 affirmative negative

‫ﻛﺎن‬ ána

íɧna

ínta
kunt
kúnna
kunt
‫ُﻛ ْﻨﺖ‬
‫ُﻛ ّﻨﺎ‬
‫ُﻛ ْﻨﺖ‬
ma-kúntiš
ma-kunnāš
ma-kúntiš
‫َﻣ ُﻜ ْﻨ ِﺘﺶ‬
‫َﻣ ُﻜ ّﻨﺎش‬
‫َﻣ ُﻜ ْﻨ ِﺘﺶ‬

perfect
1 to be kān
ínti kúnti ‫ُﻛ ْﻨﺘﻲ‬ ma-kuntīš ‫َﻣ ُﻜ ْﻨﺘﻴﺶ‬
íntu kúntu ‫ُﻛ ْﻨﺘﻮا‬ ma-kuntūš ‫َﻣ ُﻜ ْﻨﺘﻮش‬
húwwa kān ‫ﻛﺎن‬ ma-kánš ‫َﻣﻜﺎ ْﻧﺶ‬
híyya kānit ‫ﻛﺎ ِﻧﺖ‬ ma-kanítš ‫َﻣﻜﺎ ِﻧ ْﺘﺶ‬
húmma kānu ‫ﻛﺎﻧﻮا‬ ma-kanūš ‫َﻣﻜﺎﻧﻮش‬

ána akūn ‫أﻛﻮن‬ ma-kúnš ‫َﻣﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬

íɧna nikūn ‫ِﻧﻜﻮن‬ ma-nkúnš ‫َﻣ ْﻨﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬
tikūn ‫ِﺗﻜﻮن‬ ma-tkúnš ‫َﻣ ْﺘﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬

imperfect
ínta

ínti tikūni _‫ِﺗﻜﻮ‬ ma-tkunīš ‫َﻣ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻴﺶ‬

e
íntu tikūnu ‫ِﺗﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬ ma-tkunūš ‫َﻣ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻮش‬

l
húwwa yikūn ‫ِﻳﻜﻮن‬ ma-ykúnš ‫َﻣ ْﻴﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬
híyya tikūn ‫ِﺗﻜﻮن‬ ma-tkúnš ‫َﻣ ْﺘﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬

p
húmma yikūnu ‫ِﻳﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬ ma-ykunūš ‫َﻣ ْﻴﻜﻮﻧﻮش‬

ána bakūn ‫َﺑﻜﻮن‬ ma-bakúnš ‫َﻣ َﺒﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬

íɧna binkūn ‫ِﺑ ْﻨﻜﻮن‬ ma-binkúnš ‫َﻣ ِﺒ ْﻨﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬

m bi-imperfect
ínta bitkūn ‫ِﺑ ْﺘﻜﻮن‬ ma-bitkúnš ‫َﻣ ِﺒ ْﺘﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬
ínti bitkūni _‫ِﺑ ْﺘﻜﻮ‬ ma-bitkunīš ‫َﻣ ِﺒ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻴﺶ‬

a
íntu bitkūnu ‫ِﺑ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬ ma-bitkunūš ‫َﻣ ِﺒ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻮش‬
húwwa biykūn ‫ِﺑ ْﻴﻜﻮن‬ ma-biykúnš ‫َﻣ ِﺒ ْﻴﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬

S
híyya bitkūn ‫ِﺑ ْﺘﻜﻮن‬ ma-bitkúnš ‫َﻣ ِﺒ ْﺘﻜﻮ ْﻧﺶ‬
húmma biykūnu ‫ِﺑ ْﻴﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬ ma-biykunūš ‫َﻣ ِﺒ ْﻴﻜﻮﻧﻮش‬

ána hakūn ‫َﻫﻜﻮن‬ miš hakūn ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫﻜﻮن‬

íɧna hankūn ‫َﻫ ْﻨﻜﻮن‬ miš hankūn ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﻨﻜﻮن‬
ínta hatkūn ‫َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮن‬ miš hatkūn ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮن‬
future

ínti hatkūni _‫َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮ‬ miš hatkūni _‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮ‬

íntu hatkūnu ‫َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬ miš hatkūnu ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬
húwwa haykūn ‫َﻫ ْﻴﻜﻮن‬ miš haykūn ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﻴﻜﻮن‬
híyya hatkūn ‫َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮن‬ miš hatkūn ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮن‬
húmma haykūnu ‫َﻫ ْﻴﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬ miš haykūnu ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﻴﻜﻮﻧﻮا‬

xallīk ‫َﺧ ّﻠﻴﻚ‬ ma-tbaʔāš ‫َﻣ ْﺘ َﺒﻘﺎش‬

imperative

ínta
verbal noun: kōn ‫ﻛ ْﻮن‬

ínti xallīki f‫َﺧ ّﻠﻴ‬ ma-tbaʔīš ‫َﻣ ْﺘ َﺒﻘﻴﺶ‬

íntu xallīku(m) ‫ َﺧ ّﻠﻴ ُﻜﻢ‬/ ‫َﺧ ّﻠﻴﻜﻮ‬ ma-tbaʔūš ‫َﻣ ْﺘ َﺒﻘﻮش‬

active passive
masculine – – – –
participles

feminine – – – –
plural – – – –

2 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 ①

.9‫ﺼﲇ ﰲ اِ ْﺑ ِﺘﺪا‬ ْ ‫أﻧﺎ ُﻛ ْﻨﺖ أ‬

ْ ‫ﻃ َﻮل وا ْﺣﺪة ﰲ ﻓ‬
ána kuntə ʔáʈwal wáɧda f fáʂli f ibtidāʔi.
I was the tallest in my class in elementary school.
②

.‫ﺲ ِﻓ ِﻀﻞ ِﻳ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ و ْﻳ ِﻬ ّﺰ را ُﺳﻪ‬

ّ ‫ ﺑ‬LK‫أ ْﺣﻤﺪ ﻣﻜﺎ ْﻧﺶ ﻓﺎ ِﻫﻢ َوﻻ ِﻛ ْﻠﻤﺔ ِﻣﻦ اﻟ ّﺮا ِﺟﻞ اﻷ ْﻟ‬
áɧmad ma-kánšə fāhim wála kílma min irrāgil ilʔalmāni bassə fíɖil yibtísim wi yhízzə rāsu.
Ahmed couldn’t understand a word the German man said, but he kept smiling and nodding his head.
③

.‫ُﺳﻤ ّﻴﺔ ِﺑ ْﺘﻜﻮن ﻣ ْﺒﺴﻮﻃﺔ ﳌ ّﺎ ﺟ ْﻮ ْزﻫﺎ ِﺑ ْﻴﻔﺎ ِﺟ ْﺌﻬﺎ ِﺑ َﻮ ْرد‬

sumáyya bitkūn mabsūʈa lámma gúzha biyfagíʔha bi-wárd.
Sumaya becomes happy when her husband surprises her with flowers.
④

e
‫إ ْﻧﺘﻮ ﻫ ْﺘﻜﻮﻧﻮا ﻓ ْ` اﻟ ّﻨﻬﺎ ْرده ِﺑﺎﻟ ّﻠ ْﻴﻞ؟‬

l
íntu hatkūnu fēn innahárda bi-llēl?
Where will you guys be tonight?

p
⑤

ّ ‫ﻛ ْﻮﻧﻚ ِﻣ ْﺘﻀﺎ ِﻳﻖ َﻣ ِﻴ ْﺴﻤ ْﺤﻠ ْﻜﺶ ِﺗﻌ ّﲇ ﺻ ْﻮﺗﻚ ﻋﻠ ْﻴﻨﺎ ِﺑﺎﻟ‬
.‫ﻄﺮﻳﻘﺔ دي‬

m
kōnak mitɖāyiʔ ma-yismaɧlákšə ti3álli ʂōtak 3alēna bi-ʈʈarīʔa di.
Being angry doesn’t make it okay for you to raise your voice at us like that.

a
⑥ ⑦

ْ ‫ﺧ ّﻠﻴﻚ ﺻﺒﻮر و ُﻛ ّﻞ‬

.‫ﳾء َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺘﺤ ّﻞ‬ .‫ُﻓ ّﻜﻬﺎ ﺑﻘﻰ و ﻣ ْﺘﺒﻘﺎش ِر ِﺧﻢ‬

S
xallīk ʂabūr wi kullə šēʔ hayitɧáll. fukkáha báʔa wi ma-tbaʔāš ríxim.
Be patient, and everything will sort itself out. Cheer up! Don´t be so glum.

v [1h1] to be (am, is, are; was, were); to become

• Although this verb is generally omitted in the present tense (Ü 27.7, 54.3, 156.4), it is commonly found
in the imperfect after auxiliaries and conjunctions. (Ü 9.2, 28.3, 34.1) The bi-imperfect forms are used in
compound tenses and to express habitual states or occurrences. (Ü 1.3, 12.3, 183.6)
• There is no imperative form based on this verb. You may expect a form such as ‫ ﻛﻮن‬kūn, but this is not in
common use. Instead, the verb ‫ ﺧ ّﲆ‬xálla (to cause/make) with a pronoun suffix can be used to express
the affirmative imperative, literally ‘make yourself…’. (Ü 1.6) The negative imperative is borrowed from
the synonymous verb ‫ ﺑﻘﻰ‬báʔa. (Ü 1.7)
• This verb has neither an active nor passive participle.
• ّ ‫ ُﻛ‬kutt may be heard instead of ‫ ُﻛ ْﻨﺖ‬kunt and ‫ ﻛﺎت‬kāt for ‫ ﻛﺎﻧِﺖ‬kānit. (Ü 73.1)
In relaxed speech, ‫ﺖ‬

Ü This verb is so common that it appears in over one hundred example sentences throughout this book. It
would not be practical to cross-reference so many examples here. So, keep an eye out for it. You’ll be seeing
it around a lot.

3 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 affirmative negative

‫ﻋ ْﻨﺪـ ِﻟـ ﻣ َﻌـ‬ ána

íɧna

ínta
3ándi
3andína
3ándak
‫َﻋ ْﻨﺪي‬
‫َﻋ ْﻨ ِﺪﻧﺎ‬
‫َﻋ ْﻨ َﺪك‬
ma-3andīš
ma-3andināš
ma-3andákš
‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨﺪﻳﺶ‬
‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨ ِﺪﻧﺎش‬
‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨ َﺪ ْﻛﺶ‬

3and-
ínti 3ándik ‫َﻋ ْﻨ ِﺪك‬ ma-3andikīš ‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨ ِﺪﻛﻴﺶ‬
íntu 3andúku ‫َﻋ ْﻨ ُﺪﻛﻮ‬ ma-3andukūš ‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨ ُﺪﻛﻮش‬
húwwa 3ándu ‫َﻋ ْﻨ ُﺪﻩ‬ ma-3andūš ‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨﺪوش‬
híyya 3andáha ‫َﻋ ْﻨ َﺪﻫﺎ‬ ma-3andahāš ‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨ َﺪﻫﺎش‬
húmma 3andúhum ‫َﻋ ْﻨ ُﺪ ُﻫﻢ‬ ma-3anduhúmš ‫َﻣ َﻌ ْﻨ ُﺪ ُﻫ ْﻤﺶ‬
2 to have

ána líyya ‫ِﻟ ّﻴﺎ‬ ma-līš ‫َﻣﻠﻴﺶ‬

íɧna līna / lína ‫ﻟﻴﻨﺎ‬ ma-lnāš ‫َﻣ ْﻠﻨﺎش‬
ínta līk / lak ‫ َﻟﻚ‬/ ‫ﻟﻴﻚ‬ ma-lákš ‫َﻣ َﻠ ْﻜﺶ‬
ínti līki / líki f‫ﻟﻴ‬ ma-lkīš ‫َﻣ ْﻠﻜﻴﺶ‬

li-
e
íntu līku / líku ‫ﻟﻴﻜﻮ‬ ma-lkūš ‫َﻣ ْﻠﻜﻮش‬

l
húwwa lī / lu(h) ‫ ُﻟﻪ‬/ ‫ﻟﻴﻪ‬ ma-lūš ‫َﻣﻠﻮش‬
híyya līha / láha ‫ َﻟﻬﺎ‬/ ‫ﻟﻴﻬﺎ‬ ma-lhāš ‫َﻣ ْﻠﻬﺎش‬

p
húmma līhum / líhum ‫ﻟﻴ ُﻬﻢ‬ ma-lhúmš ‫َﻣ ْﻠ ُﻬ ْﻤﺶ‬

ána ma-3āya ‫َﻣﻌﺎ َي‬ ma-(m)3īš ‫ َﻣﻌﻴﺶ‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤﻌﻴﺶ‬

íɧna ma-3āna ‫َﻣﻌﺎﻧﺎ‬ ma-(m)3anāš ‫ َﻣ َﻌﻨﺎش‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤ َﻌﻨﺎش‬

m
ínta ma-3āk ‫َﻣﻌﺎك‬ ma-(m)3ákš ‫ َﻣ َﻌ ْﻜﺶ‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤ َﻌ ْﻜﺶ‬

ma3a-
ínti ma-3āki o‫َﻣﻌﺎ‬ ma-(m)3akīš ‫ َﻣ َﻌﻜﻴﺶ‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤ َﻌﻜﻴﺶ‬

a
íntu ma-3āku ‫َﻣﻌﺎﻛﻮ‬ ma-(m)3akūš ‫ َﻣ َﻌﻜﻮش‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤ َﻌﻜﻮش‬
húwwa ma-3ā(h) ‫َﻣﻌﺎه‬ ma-(m)3ahūš ‫ َﻣ َﻌﻬﻮش‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤ َﻌﻬﻮش‬

S
híyya ma-3āha ‫َﻣﻌﺎﻫﺎ‬ ma-(m)3ahāš ‫ َﻣ َﻌﻬﺎش‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤ َﻌﻬﺎش‬
húmma ma-3āhum ‫َﻣﻌﺎ ُﻫﻢ‬ ma-(m)3ahúmš ‫ َﻣ َﻌ ُﻬ ْﻤﺶ‬/ ‫َﻣ ْﻤ َﻌ ُﻬ ْﻤﺶ‬

.‫ﻄﺔ إ ْﺳﻤﻬﺎ ﻣﻴ ّﺰو و ِد ْﻟ َﻮ ْﻗﺘﻲ ﻋ ْﻨﺪي ُﺳ ْﻠ ِﺤﻔﺔ إ ْﺳﻤﻬﺎ ِﻓ ْﻠ ِﻔﻞ‬

ّ ‫ﻛﺎن ﻋ ْﻨﺪي ُﻗ‬
kān 3ándi ʔúʈʈa ʔismáha mízzu wi dilwáʔti 3ándi sulɧífa ʔismáha fílfil.
I used to have a cat called Mezzo, and now I have a turtle called Felfel.
②

‫ﺖ ﻟﻴﻚ ﻛﺎم إﻳﺪ ﻋﺸﺎن ِﺗﺴﻮق و ﺗﺎ ُﻛﻞ و ﺗْ ُﺮ ّد َع اﳌ ْﻮﺑﺎ ْﻳﻞ ﰲ ﻧ ْﻔﺲ اﻟ َﻮ ْﻗﺖ؟‬
َ ‫إ ْﻧ‬
ínta līk kam ʔīd 3ašān tisūʔ wi tākul wi trúddə 3a -lmubáyl fi nafs ilwáʔt?
How many hands do you have that you can drive, eat, and talk on the phone at the same time?
③

‫ ﻫ ِﺘ ْﺘﻔ ّﺮﺟﻲ ﻋﲆ اﳌﺎﺗْﺶ ﻣﻌﺎﻧﺎ؟‬:‫أ‬

.‫ ﻣﻠﻴﺶ ﰲ اﻟ ّﻜ ْﻮرة ﺧﺎﻟِﺺ‬،‫ ﻷ‬:‫ب‬
A: hatitfarrági 3ála -lmatšə ma3āna?
B: laʔ, ma-līš fi -kkōra xāliʂ.
A: Are you going to watch the match with us?
B: No, I’m not interested in soccer at all.

4 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 ④ ⑤

‫ﻣﻌﺎك ﻋﴩة ِﺟﻨ ْﻴ ْﻪ ﺳﻠﻒ؟‬ ّ ‫ل ﺧﺎ‬K‫اﻟﻘﺎ ِﻫﺮة ﻟﻴﻬﺎ ﺟ‬

.‫ص ِﺑﺎﻟ ّﻠ ْﻴﻞ‬
ma3āk 3ášara ginēh sálaf? ilqāhíra līha gamāl xaʂʂə bi-llēl.
Can you lend me ten pounds? Cairo has a special beauty at night.
[lit. Do you have ten pounds on you to lend?]
⑥

ّ ‫ ﺑ‬،‫ﻣﻌ ْﻨﺪﻳﺶ ﻣﺎ ِﻧﻊ ِﺗـﺮوح اﻟﺤ ْﻔﻠﺔ‬

.١٢ ‫ﺲ ﺗْﻜﻮن ﰲ اﻟﺒ ْﻴﺖ ﻗ ْﺒﻞ‬
ma-3andīš māni3 tirūɧ ilɧáfla, bassə tkūn fi -lbēt ʔabl itnāšar.
I don’t have any objection if you go to the party, but you should be home before 12.
⑦

‫ﻋ ْﻨﺪك ِﺧﻄﻂ اﻟ ّﻨﻬﺎ ْرده؟‬

3ándak xíʈaʈ innahárda?
Do you have plans for today?

l e
⑧ ⑨

.‫ة‬â‫ و ﻫ ْﻌ ِﻤ ّﻠﻚ ﺣ ْﻔﻠﺔ ْﻛﺒ‬،‫ ْﺳﻨ` اﻟ ّﺸ ْﻬﺮ اﻟﺠﺎ ّي‬٦ ‫َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒﻘﻰ ﻋ ْﻨ ِﺪك‬ ‫ﻣﻌﺎ ْﻛﺶ َو ّﻻﻋﺔ؟‬

p
hayíbʔa 3ándik sittə snīn iššáhr ilgáyy, wi ha3míllak ɧáfla kbīra. ma-3ákšə wallā3a?
You’ll be six next month, and I’ll throw you a big party. Don’t you have a lighter?

m
⑩

.‫ﳌ ّﺎ ِﻳ ْﺒﻘﻰ ﻣﻌﺎك ِﻣ ْﻠﻴ ْﻮن ِﺟﻨ ْﻴ ْﻪ إ ْﺑﻘﻰ د ّور ﻋﲆ ﭬﻴ ّﻼ ِﺗ ْﺸ ِﺘـﺮﻳﻬﺎ‬

a
lámma yíbʔa ma3āk milyōn ginēh ʔibʔa dáwwar 3ála vílla tištirīha.
When you have a million pounds, look for a villa to buy.

S
v to have, possess

• ‫ ﻋ ْﻨﺪـ ِﻟـ ﻣ َﻌـ‬are not actually verbs at all. They are prepositions with pronoun suffixes that usually translate
as the verb ‘have’ in English.
• The most common of the three is ‫ﻋ ْﻨﺪـ‬, your go-to translation of ‘have’ if the subject is human. (Ü 2.1,
2.6, 2.7) It is also used in an idiom expressing ‘be __ years old’, literally ‘have __ years’. (Ü 2.8)
• ‫ ﻣ َﻌـ‬specifically expresses ‘have on oneself’, literally ‘with one’. (Ü 2.4, 2.9, 2.10)
• ‫ ِﻟـ‬is used when the object is a body part or a relative (Ü 2.2), or when the subject is inanimate. (Ü2.5) It
can also be used idiomatically. (Ü 2.3)
• These prepositions do not precede nouns when they express ‘have’. Instead, the noun subject is
followed by the preposition with a pronoun suffix. (Ü 2.5)
• The masculine third-person singular form of the verb ‫ ﻛﺎن‬kān ‘be’ is used to express various tenses. (Ü
2.1) The verb ‫ ﺑﻘﻰ‬báʔa ‘become’ is also sometimes used. (Ü 2.8, 2.10)
• The audio for this verb begins: ‫ ﻛﺎن ﻟُ ْﻪ‬/ ‫ ﻛﺎن ﻣﻌﺎ ْه‬/ ‫ ﻛﺎن ﻋ ْﻨ ُﺪﻩ‬kān 3ándu / kān ma3āh / kān luh.

Ü ‫ ﻋ ْﻨﺪـ‬39.4, 40.2, 51.7, 90.4, 93.3, 103.5 105.1, 106.3, 117.1, 123.2, 161.2, 178.3, 195.5, 199.3, 227.3
‫ ﻣ َﻌـ‬39.1, 81.5, 169.3
‫ ِﻟـ‬101.4

5 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 affirmative negative
‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘﺪ ْﻳﺖ‬
‫ِا ْﺑ َﺘ َﺪى‬ ána

íɧna

ínta
ibtadēt
ibtadēna
ibtadēt
‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘﺪ ْﻳﻨﺎ‬
‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘﺪ ْﻳﺖ‬
ma-btadítš
ma-btadināš
ma-btadítš
‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘﺪﻳ ْﺘﺶ‬
‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘﺪﻳﻨﺎش‬
‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘﺪﻳ ْﺘﺶ‬

perfect
ínti ibtadēti ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘﺪ ْﻳﺘﻲ‬ ma-btaditīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘﺪﻳﺘﻴﺶ‬
‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘﺪ ْﻳﺘﻮا‬ ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘﺪﻳﺘﻮش‬
3 to begin ibtáda
íntu ibtadētu ma-btaditūš
húwwa ibtáda ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺪى‬ ma-btadāš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘﺪاش‬
híyya ibtádit ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ ِﺪت‬ ma-btadítš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ ِﺪﺗْﺶ‬
húmma ibtádu ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘﺪوا‬ ma-btadūš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘﺪوش‬

ána abtídi ‫أ ْﺑ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-btidīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

íɧna nibtídi ‫ِﻧ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-nibtidīš ‫َﻣ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬
tibtídi ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-tibtidīš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

imperfect
ínta

ínti tibtídi ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-tibtidīš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

e
íntu tibtídu ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬ ma-tibtidūš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوش‬

l
húwwa yibtídi ‫ِﻳ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-yibtidīš ‫َﻣ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬
híyya tibtídi ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-tibtidīš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

p
húmma yibtídu ‫ِﻳ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬ ma-yibtidūš ‫َﻣ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوش‬

ána babtídi ‫َﺑ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-babtidīš ‫َﻣ َﺒ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

íɧna binibtídi ‫ِﺑ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-bnibtidīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

m bi-imperfect
ínta bitibtídi ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-btibtidīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬
ínti bitibtídi ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-btibtidīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

a
íntu bitibtídu ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬ ma-btibtidūš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوش‬
húwwa biyibtídi ‫ِﺑ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-byibtidīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

S
híyya bitibtídi ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-btibtidīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬
húmma biyibtídu ‫ِﺑ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬ ma-byibtidūš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوش‬

ána habtídi ‫َﻫ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ miš habtídi ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬

íɧna hanibtídi ‫َﻫ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ miš hanibtídi ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬
ínta hatibtídi ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ miš hatibtídi ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬
future

ínti hatibtídi ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ miš hatibtídi ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬

íntu hatibtídu ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬ miš hatibtídu ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬
húwwa hayibtídi ‫َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ miš hayibtídi ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬
híyya hatibtídi ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ miš hatibtídi ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬
húmma hayibtídu ‫َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬ miš hayibtídu ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا‬
verbal noun: bidāya ‫ِﺑﺪا َﻳﺔ‬

ibtídi ‫اِ ْﺑ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-tibtidīš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

imperative

ínta

ínti ibtídi ‫اِ ْﺑ ِﺘﺪي‬ ma-tibtidīš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪﻳﺶ‬

íntu ibtídu ‫اِ ْﺑ ِﺘﺪوا‬ ma-tibtidūš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوش‬

active passive
mibtídi ‫ِﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬ mibtídi ‫ِﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي‬
participles

masculine

feminine mibtidíyya ‫ِﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺪ ﱠﻳﺔ‬ mibtidíyya ‫ِﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺪ ﱠﻳﺔ‬

plural mibtidiyīn Q‫ِﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺪﻳ‬ mibtidiyīn Q‫ِﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺪﻳ‬

6 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 ①

.‫ وا ْﺧﺪة ﻗﺮار ِﻣﻦ أ ﱢول اﻟ ّﺴﻨﺔ‬L

ّ ‫ﻟِ ّﺴﻪ ﻣ ْﺒﺘﺪ ْﻳ ْﺘﺶ ْرﭼﻴﻢ ر ْﻏﻢ إ‬
líssa ma-btadítšə ržīm raɣm ínni wáxda qarār min áwwil issána.
I still haven’t started my diet, even though I
decided to at the beginning of the year.
②

‫ﺖ ﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪي ا ْﻣ ِﺘﺤﺎﻧﺎت ﻳ ْﻮم أ ْﻳﻪ؟‬

َ ‫إ ْﻧ‬
ínta hatibtídi -mtiɧanāt yōm ʔē?
When will you start your exams?
③

.‫ ِﻣﺶ ﻫ ِﻨ ْﻮﺻﻞ ﰲ ﻣﻌﺎ ْدﻧﺎ‬،‫َﻟ ْﻮ ﻣ ْﺒﺘﺪﻳﻨﺎش ِﻧ ْﺘﺤ ّﺮك ﺣﺎ ًﻻ‬

law ma-btadināš nitɧárrak ɧālan, miš haníwʂal fi ma3ádna.
If we don’t start moving now, we won’t arrive in time.

e
④

l
‫ ِﺑ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘﺪوا اﻟﺤ ْﻔﻠﺔ اﻟ ّﺴﺎﻋﺔ ﻛﺎم؟‬Kّ ‫ُﻫ‬
húmma biyibtídu -lɧáfla -ssā3a kām?

p
When do they begin the performance?
⑤

ّ ‫اﳌ َ ْﻮﺿﻮع ده اِ ْﺑﺘﺪى ِﻣﻦ زﻣﺎن ﺑ‬

.‫ ﻣﻜﺎﻧﻮش ﻋﺎ ْﻳﺰﻳﻦ ﺣ ّﺪ ِﻳ ْﻌﺮف‬Kّ ‫ﺲ ُﻫ‬

m
ilmawɖū3 dah ibtáda min zaman, bassə húmma ma-kanūš 3ayzīn ɧaddə yí3raf.
This issue started long ago, but they didn’t want anyone to know.

a
⑥

‫ِﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺪ ّﻳ` َﺣﻴﺎﺗْ ُﻬﻢ ِﻣﻦ اﻟ ﱢ‬

.‫ ر ﱢﺑﻨﺎ ِﻳﺒﺎ ِر ْﻛ ُﻠ ُﻬﻢ‬،‫ﺼ ْﻔﺮ ﻣ َﻊ ﺑ ْﻌﺾ‬

S
mibtidiyyīn ɧayáthum min iʂʂífrə má3a ba3ɖ, rabbína yibariklúhum.
They are beginning their life together
from scratch, God bless them.

v [8d] to begin, start

• This verb can be transitive (Ü 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6) or intransitive (Ü 3.5).
• It can also be followed by an imperfect verb. (Ü 3.3)
• Compare with ‫ ﺑﺪأ‬bádaʔ. (Ü 56)

Ü 6.2, 41.4, 92.1, 104.6, 178.6

7 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 affirmative negative
‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﺖ‬ ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤ ِﺘﺶ‬
‫ِا ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴﻢ‬ ána

íɧna

ínta
ibtasámt
ibtasámna
ibtasámt
‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﻨﺎ‬
‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﺖ‬
ma-btasámtiš
ma-btasamnāš
ma-btasámtiš
‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﻨﺎش‬
‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤ ِﺘﺶ‬

perfect
ínti ibtasámti ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﺘﻲ‬ ma-btasamtīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﺘﻴﺶ‬
íntu ibtasámtu ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﺘﻮا‬ ma-btasamtūš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﺘﻮش‬
4 to smile ibtásam

húwwa ibtásam ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴﻢ‬ ma-btasámš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

híyya ibtásamit ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴ ِﻤﺖ‬ ma-btasamítš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴ ِﻤ ْﺘﺶ‬
húmma ibtásamu ‫اِ ْﺑ َﺘ َﺴﻤﻮا‬ ma-btasamūš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ َﺴﻤﻮش‬

ána abtísim ‫أ ْﺑ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-btisímš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

íɧna nibtísim ‫ِﻧ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-nibtisímš ‫َﻣ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬
tibtísim ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-tibtisímš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

imperfect
ínta

ínti tibtísmi ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻲ‬ ma-tibtismīš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴ ِﻤﻴﺶ‬

e
íntu tibtísmu ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬ ma-tibtismūš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮش‬

l
húwwa yibtísim ‫ِﻳ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-yibtisímš ‫َﻣ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬
híyya tibtísim ‫ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-tibtisímš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

p
húmma yibtísmu ‫ِﻳ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬ ma-yibtismūš ‫َﻣ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮش‬

ána babtísim ‫َﺑ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-babtisímš ‫َﻣ َﺒ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

íɧna binibtísim ‫ِﺑ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-bnibtisímš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

m bi-imperfect
ínta bitibtísim ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-btibtisímš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬
ínti bitibtísmi ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻲ‬ ma-btibtismīš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴ ِﻤﻴﺶ‬

a
íntu bitibtísmu ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬ ma-btibtismūš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮش‬
húwwa biyibtísim ‫ِﺑ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-byibtisímš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

S
híyya bitibtísim ‫ِﺑ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-btibtisímš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬
húmma biyibtísmu ‫ِﺑ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬ ma-byibtismūš ‫َﻣ ْﺒ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮش‬

ána habtísim ‫َﻫ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ miš habtísim ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬

íɧna hanibtísim ‫َﻫ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ miš hanibtísim ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﻨ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬
ínta hatibtísim ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ miš hatibtísim ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬
future

ínti hatibtísmi ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻲ‬ miš hatibtísmi ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻲ‬

íntu hatibtísmu ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬ miš hatibtísmu ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬
húwwa hayibtísim ‫َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ miš hayibtísim ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬
híyya hatibtísim ‫َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ miš hatibtísim ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬
húmma hayibtísmu ‫َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬ miš hayibtísmu ‫ِﻣﺶ َﻫ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬
verbal noun: ibtisām ‫ِا ْﺑ ِﺘﺴﺎم‬

ibtísim ‫اِ ْﺑ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬ ma-tibtisímš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ‬

imperative

ínta

ínti ibtísmi ‫اِ ْﺑ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻲ‬ ma-tibtismīš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴ ِﻤﻴﺶ‬

íntu ibtísmu ‫اِ ْﺑ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا‬ ma-tibtismūš ‫َﻣ ِﺘ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮش‬

active passive
mubtásim ‫ُﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ ِﺴﻢ‬– –
participles

masculine

feminine mubtásma ‫ُﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ ِﺴ َﻤﺔ‬

– –
plural mubtasmīn Q‫– ُﻣ ْﺒ َﺘ ْﺴﻤ‬ –

8 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 ①

.‫اِ ْﺑﺘﺴ ِﻤﺖ ﻣﺮام ِﺑﺨﺠﻞ ﳌ ّﺎ ﺧﻄﻴ ْﺒﻬﺎ ﺑﺎس إﻳ ْﺪ ْﻳﻬﺎ‬

ibtásamit marām bi-xágal lámma xaʈíbha bās ʔidēha.
Maram smiled bashfully when
her fiancé kissed her hands.
②

.`‫ ﻛﺎﻧﻮا ُﻣ ْﺮﻫﻘ‬K‫ِﺧ ْﺪ ِﻣ ْﺔ اﻟ ُﻌﻤﻼ ﻻ ِزم ِﻳ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻮا ِﻟ ْﻠ ُﺠ ْﻤﻬﻮر ﻣ ْﻬ‬

xídmit il3úmala lāzim yibtísmu li-lgumhūr máhma kānu murhaqīn.
Employees in customer service should
smile at people even if they are tired.
③

‫ ِﺗ ْﺒ ِﺘ ْﺴﻤﻲ؟‬ò‫ أ ْﻳﻪ أ ْﻛﱰ ﺣﺎﺟﺔ ِﺑ ْﺘﺨ ّﻠﻴ‬:‫أ‬

ُ ‫ ﳌ ّﺎ ﺑﺸﻮف اِ ْﺑ ِﺘﺴﺎ ِﻣ ْﺔ ِﻃ ْﻔﻞ‬:‫ب‬
.âّ ‫ﺻﻐ‬

l e
A: ʔē áktar ɧāga bitxallīki tibtísmi?
B: lámma bašūf ibtisāmit ʈiflə ʂuɣáyyar.
A: What makes you smile?

p
B: When I see a baby’s smile.
④

.‫اِ ْﺑ ِﺘ ِﺴﻢ ﻟِﺤ ّﺪ ﻣ ِﺘ ْﻌﺮﻓﻮش و ﻫ ْﺘﺸﻮف ﻗ ّﺪ أ ْﻳﻪ َﻫ ِﻴ ْﻔﺮح‬

m
ibtísim li-ɧáddə ma-ti3rafūš wi hatšūf addə ʔē hayífraɧ.
Smile at someone you don’t know, and

a
you’ll see how happy they will be.

S
⑤

.‫ ِﺑ ِﻴ ّﺪﻳﻨﺎ د ْﻓ ِﻌ ْﺔ ﺗﻔﺎ ُؤل‬.‫ل ُﻣ ْﺒﺘ ِﺴﻢ ﻋﲆ ﻃﻮل‬K‫ﻢ ﺟ‬

ّ ‫ﻋ‬
3ammə gamāl mubtásim 3ála ʈūl. biyiddīna dáf3it tafāʔul.
Uncle Gamal is always smiling. He
gives us a boost of optimism.
⑥

.‫ﱰض و ِﻣﺶ ﻋﺎ ْﺟ ُﺒﻪ اﻟﻜﻼم‬

ِ ‫ﺎً ُﻣ ْﻌ‬õْ ‫ دا‬.ً‫ﻋﺎ ِﻣﺮ ﻣ ْﺒ ِﻴ ْﺒ ِﺘ ِﺴ ْﻤﺶ أﺑﺪا‬
3āmir ma-byibtisímš ábadan. dáyman mu3táriɖ wi miš 3ágbu -lkalām.
Amer never smiles. He’s always objecting
and not happy with anything you say.

v [8s1] to smile (at ‫ ﻟِـ‬li-)

Ü 1.2

9 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS

 INDEX

You can look up verbs by their English translations using references to their TABLE numbers. For example,
T-264 refers to table 264 (on p. 532).

able: be able to T-176, T-204 bring T-68, T-104; bring upon deal (with) T-16
accept T-118, T-202; be (inflict) T-169 deceive T-162
accepted T-202 broken: be broken T-25 decide T-208
accomplish T-87 build T-62 decorate T-133
accustomed: become buy T-46, T-68, T-210 defend T-102
accustomed to T-20 calculate T-81 deliver T-141, T-261
achieve T-87 call T-15, T-144, T-242, T-246 depict T-235
act T-235 can T-176, T-204 descend T-248
add T-132 cancel T-190 die T-233

e
adorn T-133 care: take care of T-52, T-76 dinner: have dinner T-18

l
affect T-169 carry T-148 discover T-51
age T-216 cast T-125 dishevel T-254, T-255
aggravate T-247 catch T-227, T-237 distance oneself T-60

p
agree T-202, T-256 cause T-100 do T-47, T-181, T-234; do again
allow T-5, T-135, T-142 celebrate T-33 T-170; do on time T-227; do
anger T-247 certain: be certain T-7 without T-41

m
angry: become angry T-130 change T-23, T-186 draw T-97, T-117
annoyed: be annoyed T-21, chase T-72 dream T-91
T-130 chat T-106, T-119 dressed: get dressed T-226

a
answer T-69, T-116 cheat T-162 drink T-151
apply T-206 check T-7 drive T-138

S
appreciate T-205 choose T-34 drop: drop by T-187; drop off
argue T-12 clean T-251 T-261
arrange T-253 close T-212, T-213 eat T-223
arrive T-260 collect T-232; be connected T-8 embark (on) T-167
ascend T-167 collide T-226 enable T-205
ask T-134, T-166 come T-73; come by/over (visit) end T-98, T-190
assemble T-8 T-175, T-187; come out of endure T-37, T-204
attach T-150 T-167 enjoy T-43
attempt T-77 comfortable: feel comfortable enter T-96, T-103; cause to
attend T-84 T-36 enter T-104
away: be away T-60 complete T-67 erase T-236
bath: take a bath T-38 confirm T-7 estimate T-205
bathe T-38 connect T-261; be connected exceed T-128
be T-1, T-61 T-15 exhaust T-99; be exhausted
bear T-37 consider T-49 T-98
beat T-188 consult T-149 exit T-94
become T-1, T-61 continue T-44, T-193, T-211, experience T-172
begin T-3, T-56 T-225 explain T-197
believe T-81, T-157 control T-88 fail T-148, T-191
better: get better T-11 cook T-165 fall T-262
big: become big T-216 count T-174 ill: become ill T-66
born: be born T-30 cross T-175 favor T-194
break T-25, T-222; break off cry T-182 feel T-80; feel at ease T-127
(cancel) T-190 cut T-210 fight T-12
dance T-122 figure out T-51
534 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS
fill T-82, T-240; fill in/out T-240 increase T-128, T-132 missing: go missing T-64, T-161
find T-231; find out T-51 insert T-104 mop T-236
finish T-98, T-99, T-225; finish insist T-48 move T-10, T-79, T-178
up T-213 install T-124 multiply T-163
fire T-163 interested: be interested in nag T-237
fit T-53 T-52 name T-144
fix T-124, T-158 interrogate T-87 necessary: be necessary T-228
fly T-164 investigate T-87 need T-31, T-171, T-228
follow T-63; follow up on T-63 invite T-179 nerves: get on one’s nerves
forbid T-241 issue T-168 T-247
forget T-64, T-250 jump T-252 nervous: make nervous T-247
gasp T-153 jump around T-29 obtain T-42
gather T-8, T-232 keep T-76, T-86; keep __ing offer T-206
get T-42, T-68; get by without T-44, T-193, T-211; keep to old: get old T-216
T-41; get up T-201; get used your own business T-228; open T-189
to T-20 keep up with T-63 order T-166

e
give T-35; give back T-115; give kill T-203 organize T-127, T-253

l
up T-58 kiss T-54 participate T-206
go T-113, T-238; go away T-238; know T-176; know how T-176; pass: pass by T-187; let pass
go back T-114; go to bed get to know T-17 T-175

p
T-243; go by T-175; go for a last T-44 pay T-109
walk T-27; go home T-126; late: be late T-6 perform T-235
go in T-96, T-103; go missing laugh T-162 persist T-138

m
T-64, T-161; go out T-94, lead T-199 phone T-15
T-248; go up T-128, T-167 lean T-145 photocopy T-160
graduate T-13 learn T-19, T-107 photograph T-160

a
grant T-256 leave T-100, T-135, T-201, pick T-34; pick up T-232
greet T-141 T-238; leave the house T-248 picture: take a picture T-160

S
grow T-216; grow up T-216 let T-5, T-100, T-135, T-142 pile (up) T-219
guess T-101 lie T-218 place T-85
habit: be in the habit of T-20; lift T-121 plan T-97, T-117
make a habit of T-20 like T-78 play T-177, T-229; play around
haircut: get a haircut T-90 listen T-143 T-229
hand over T-141 live T-140, T-172; live abroad point T-149
handle T-16 T-137; live without T-41 portray T-235
happen T-71, T-83 lock T-212 possess T-2
hate T-220 look: look (at) T-57; look for pour T-110, T-154, T-215
have T-2; have a good time T-111 practice T-234
T-43; have dinner T-18; have lose T-95 pray T-159
lunch T-22; have time T-227 lost: become lost T-64, T-161 prefer T-194
hear T-143 love T-78, T-180 prepare T-75; be prepared T-74
help T-93, T-136 lunch: have lunch T-22 present T-206
hit T-163, T-226 maintain T-76 produce T-168
hold T-237; hold onto T-76 make T-100, T-181 protect T-76
home: go home T-126; take manage T-204 publish T-168, T-249; be
home T-126 marry T-9 published T-248
hope T-28 married: get married T-9 pursue T-72
hurry T-227 master T-204 push T-131
hyper: be hyper T-29 meet T-17, T-198, T-231 put T-85; put an end to T-98;
ill: become ill T-183 memorize T-86 put in T-104; put on T-226;
imagine T-14, T-205 mess up T-254, T-255 put up with T-37
improve T-11 mind T-228 quarrel T-12
inconvenience T-65 miss T-187; be missed T-257 quit T-58
535 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS
raise T-121 set T-85 throw T-125
read T-207 shave T-90 tidy up T-127
ready: get ready T-74; make show T-259 time: have time T-227
ready T-75 shower: take a shower T-38 tire T-65; become tired T-66
recall T-50 sick: get sick T-66, T-183 together: get together T-8
receive T-42 sign T-239 toss T-125
recount T-89 sing T-185 travel T-137
refuse T-120 sit T-211 traverse T-230
regret T-245 sleep T-243; sleep over T-53 treat T-16, T-179
reject T-120 smile T-4 trouble T-65; trouble oneself
relax T-36, T-127 smoke T-105, T-151 T-66
release T-249; be released speak T-26 try T-77; try (out), try on T-70
T-248 spend T-209, T-211; spend the turn T-111, T-230; turn in
relieved: feel relieved T-36 night T-53 (submit) T-141, T-206; turn
remain T-193, T-211 spill T-110, T-215 off T-58; turn on T-189; turn
remember T-50 spoil T-95 out (to be) T-167

e
remind T-195 stand T-37, T-263 understand T-196; make

l
remove T-148, T-168 start T-3, T-56 understand T-197
repair T-158, T-124 stay T-193, T-211; stay undress T-214; get undressed
repeat T-169, T-170 overnight, stay up late T-53 T-214

p
reply T-116 steal T-139 upset: become upset T-130
represent T-235 stop T-58, T-263, T-264 use T-39, T-40; use up T-99
request T-166 stroll: take a stroll T-27 veer T-222

m
reside T-140 study T-107, T-112 verify T-7
respect T-32 stuff T-82 view T-24
rest T-36 submit T-206 visit T-129

a
return T-114, T-115 succeed T-244 vomit T-115
rid: get rid of T-98 successful: be successful T-244 wait T-45

S
ride T-123; give a ride to T-124 suffer T-66 wake up T-155, T-156
rise T-167 support T-145 walk T-238; go for a walk T-27
rob T-139 suppose T-205 wander T-230
rouse T-156 sure: be sure T-7 want T-28, T-171
rule T-88 swerve T-222 wash T-184
run T-72 swim T-173 watch T-24
satisfied: be satisfied T-118 take T-92, T-123, T-258; take wear T-226; wear out T-65
save T-86 back T-115; take weep T-182
say T-200; say again (repeat) down(stairs) T-249; take in willing: be willing T-202
T-170; say hi T-141; say the T-104; take off T-167, T-201, win T-188, T-221
basmala (bismallah) T-144 T-214; take out T-168, T-249; wipe T-236
scatter T-190 take up(stairs) T-168 wish T-28
search T-111 talk T-26, T-106 work T-47, T-93
see T-24, T-147 teach T-108 wrap T-230
sell T-55 tell T-89, T-200; tell a lie T-218 write T-217
send T-59, T-258 thank T-152 yield T-16
separate T-192 think T-50, T-81; think about
serve T-93, T-206 T-195; think of __ as T-49

536 | THE BIG FAT BOOK OF EGYPTIAN ARABIC VERBS