Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 2: Good morning and good evening

Good morning and good evening

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 2

GoalGreet people at different times of the day and answer the greeting.

New words

صَبَاح الخَيْر (ṣabāḥ il-khēr) · good morningصَبَاح النُّور (ṣabāḥ in-nūr) · good morning (reply)مَسَاء الخَيْر (masāʾ il-khēr) · good eveningمَسَاء النُّور (masāʾ in-nūr) · good evening (reply)تِصْبَح عَلَى خَيْر (tiṣbaḥ ʿala khēr) · good night (to a man)تِصْبَحِي عَلَى خَيْر (tiṣbaḥi ʿala khēr) · good night (to a woman)

Explanation

In the morning say صَبَاح الخَيْر, “morning of goodness”. The reply is صَبَاح النُّور, “morning of light”. In the evening say مَسَاء الخَيْر and answer مَسَاء النُّور. Before sleep, say تِصْبَح عَلَى خَيْر to a man and تِصْبَحِي عَلَى خَيْر to a woman. Notice الخَيْر (il-khēr) and النُّور (in-nūr): in the second word the ل of ال melts into the next letter. You will learn more about this later.

Time	Say	Reply
morning	صَبَاح الخَيْر	صَبَاح النُّور
evening	مَسَاء الخَيْر	مَسَاء النُّور

Worked examples

Omar

صَبَاح الخَيْر.

Salma

صَبَاح النُّور. إِزَّيَّك؟

Omar

أَنَا كُوَيِّس، الحَمْدُ لِلَّه.

Morning on the street.

Hana

مَسَاء الخَيْر.

Ahmed

مَسَاء النُّور. عَامْلَة إِيه؟

Hana

تَمَام، الحَمْدُ لِلَّه.

Evening at the door.

Good night: for a man, then for a woman.

Class activity

Look at the clock. Say the right greeting for this time of day: morning or evening. Say the reply too, with both voices: one for you and one for the other person. Before you go to bed, say good night to someone, in Arabic.

Practice

This picture shows the morning. Which greeting do you say?

It is night and you speak to a man. What do you say before he goes to sleep?

Listen. What is the speaker asking? Answer in Arabic.

Someone says مَسَاء الخَيْر. What do you answer?

What is the difference between صَبَاح and مَسَاء?

Greetings and politeness

Good morning and good evening