Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 3: Nice to meet you

Nice to meet you

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 3

GoalSay that you are happy to meet someone, and welcome a guest.

New words

فُرْصَة سَعِيدَة (furṣa saʿīda) · nice to meet youاِتْشَرَّفْنَا (itsharrafna) · nice to meet you (we are honoured)أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا (ahlan wa sahlan) · welcomeوِأَنَا كَمَان (w-ana kamān) · me too

Explanation

When you meet someone for the first time, say فُرْصَة سَعِيدَة or اِتْشَرَّفْنَا. The other person answers with the same words, or with وِأَنَا كَمَان, “me too”. أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا means “welcome”: you say it to a guest at your door or in your shop. All these phrases are the same for men and women. Say them with a smile.

When	Say	Answer
First meeting	فُرْصَة سَعِيدَة	وِأَنَا كَمَان
First meeting	اِتْشَرَّفْنَا	اِتْشَرَّفْنَا
A guest comes	أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا	شُكْرًا

Worked examples

Mina

أَهْلًا. اِسْمِي مِينَا. فُرْصَة سَعِيدَة.

Hana

اِسْمِي هَنَا. وِأَنَا كَمَان.

Mina and Hana meet for the first time.

Omar

أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا.

Karim

شُكْرًا.

Omar welcomes Karim at the door.

The phrase with the long word.

Class activity

Imagine meeting a new person in an Egyptian café. Write what you say in four lines: hello, your name, nice to meet you, where you are from. Say the four lines aloud.

Practice

Listen. Is this person greeting or saying goodbye?

Two people meet for the first time. What can each of them say?

Someone says فُرْصَة سَعِيدَة. Give a short answer.

What do you say to a guest at your door?

What does وِأَنَا كَمَان mean?

Introductions

Nice to meet you