Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 10: On the phone

On the phone

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 10

GoalAnswer the phone, ask who is calling and say where you are.

New words

آلُو (alō) · hello (on the phone)مِين مَعَايَا؟ (mīn maʿāya?) · who is speaking?اِسْتَنَّى (istanna) · wait (to a man)اِسْتَنِّي (istanni) · wait (to a woman)دَقِيقَة (daʾīʾa) · a minuteأَنَا فِي الطَّرِيق (ana fi-ṭṭarīʾ) · I am on the way

Explanation

On the phone Egyptians say آلُو. To ask who is calling, say مِين مَعَايَا؟, literally «who is with me?». Answer with مَعَاك and your name: مَعَاك كَرِيم, «Karim is with you» (to a woman: مَعَاكِي). Say اِسْتَنَّى to a man and اِسْتَنِّي to a woman for «wait», and دَقِيقَة for «a minute». To ask where someone is, use فِين: إِنْتَ فِين؟ The answer can be أَنَا فِي الطَّرِيق. The little word فِي means «in» or «on».

Say	Meaning
آلُو	hello
مِين مَعَايَا؟	who is this?
مَعَاك …	this is … (to a man)
اِسْتَنَّى / اِسْتَنِّي	wait (man / woman)
إِنْتَ فِين؟	where are you? (to a man)
أَنَا فِي الطَّرِيق	I am on the way

Worked examples

Omar

آلُو.

Salma

أَهْلًا، مِين مَعَايَا؟

Omar

مَعَاكِي عُمَر.

Salma

أَهْلًا عُمَر، عَامِل إِيه؟

Omar calls Salma. Press each line.

Mina

إِنْتَ فِين؟

Karim

أَنَا فِي الطَّرِيق.

Mina

تَمَام، يَلَّا.

Karim

مَعَ السَّلَامَة.

Where are you? Press each line.

Wait a minute. Press each card.

Class activity

Write and act a phone call. Pick up with آلُو, ask مِين مَعَايَا؟, give your name with مَعَاك …, ask where the other person is, and say goodbye. Do it once with a man and once with a woman.

Practice

What do you say when you answer the phone?

Ask «who is speaking?».

You call Hana. Say that Ali is speaking.

Press Listen. Who is speaking?

A friend asks إِنْتَ فِين؟ and you are coming. Answer.

Mini dialogues

On the phone