Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 12: In the café

In the café

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 12

GoalOrder a drink, say how you want it and ask for the bill.

New words

القَايْمَة (il-ʾayma) · the menuالحِسَاب (il-ḥisāb) · the billبِسُكَّر (bi-sukkar) · with sugarسَادَة (sāda) · plain, without sugarبِلَبَن (bi-laban) · with milkحَاجَة تَانْيَة؟ (ḥāga tānya?) · anything else?

Explanation

In a café you ask for القَايْمَة (the menu). The waiter asks عَايِز إِيه؟ to a man or عَايْزَة إِيه؟ to a woman. Order the drink and add مِن فَضْلَك: شَاي مِن فَضْلَك. Say how you want tea or coffee: بِسُكَّر (with sugar), سَادَة (plain) or بِلَبَن (with milk). The waiter may ask حَاجَة تَانْيَة؟, «anything else?». Say لَأ، شُكْرًا when you want no more. At the end ask: الحِسَاب مِن فَضْلَك.

In the café	Say
ask for the menu	القَايْمَة مِن فَضْلَك
order	شَاي مِن فَضْلَك
with sugar	بِسُكَّر
plain	سَادَة
with milk	بِلَبَن
pay	الحِسَاب مِن فَضْلَك

Worked examples

Waiter

أَهْلًا. عَايْزَة إِيه؟

Nour

شَاي بِلَبَن، مِن فَضْلَك.

Waiter

حَاجَة تَانْيَة؟

Nour

لَأ، شُكْرًا.

Nour orders tea. Press each line.

Omar

القَايْمَة مِن فَضْلَك.

Waiter

اِتْفَضَّل.

Omar

قَهْوَة سَادَة وِمَيَّة.

Waiter

تَمَام.

Omar orders coffee. Press each line.

Paying. Press each card.

Class activity

Act a café scene with a friend. One of you is the waiter and asks عَايِز إِيه؟. The customer orders two drinks with بِسُكَّر, سَادَة or بِلَبَن, answers حَاجَة تَانْيَة؟ and asks for الحِسَاب. Then swap roles.

Practice

Order tea with sugar, politely.

Ask for the bill.

Press Listen. What does the customer order?

The picture shows a woman. The waiter asks her what she wants. Say it.

Say «plain coffee».

Food and drink

In the café