Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 3: Introductions: review

Introductions: review

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 3

GoalIntroduce yourself in a short conversation.

New words

اِسْمِي (ismi) · my nameإِنْتَ مِن فِين؟ (inta min fēn?) · where are you from? (to a man)أَنَا مِن (ana min) · I am fromفُرْصَة سَعِيدَة (furṣa saʿīda) · nice to meet youوِإِنْتِي؟ (w-inti?) · and you? (to a woman)

Explanation

A short introduction has five steps: greet, say your name, ask the name, say where you are from, and say that you are happy. Think of who you speak to and use the man's or the woman's form of “you”. Use وِإِنْتَ or وِإِنْتِي to give the question back. Remember that there is no “am”, “is” or “are” here.

Step	To a man	To a woman
Greet	أَهْلًا	أَهْلًا
Ask the name	اِسْمَك إِيه؟	اِسْمِك إِيه؟
Ask the place	إِنْتَ مِن فِين؟	إِنْتِي مِن فِين؟
Give it back	وِإِنْتَ؟	وِإِنْتِي؟

Worked examples

Salma

صَبَاح الخَيْر. اِسْمِي سَلْمَى. اِسْمَك إِيه؟

Omar

صَبَاح النُّور. اِسْمِي عُمَر. فُرْصَة سَعِيدَة.

Salma

وِأَنَا كَمَان. إِنْتَ مِن فِين؟

Omar

أَنَا مِن مِصْر. وِإِنْتِي؟

Salma

أَنَا مِن أُوزْبَكِسْتَان.

A full introduction between a woman and a man.

Karim

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُم. اِسْمِي كَرِيم.

Ahmed

وَعَلَيْكُم السَّلَام. اِسْمِي أَحْمَد. إِنْتَ مِن فِين؟

Karim

أَنَا مِن رُوسْيَا. اِتْشَرَّفْنَا.

Two men meet.

Questions to ask, to a woman.

Class activity

Write and say your own introduction in Arabic: hello, my name is …, I am from …, nice to meet you. Then write the questions you would ask a woman and a man you have just met.

Practice

Say: “My name is Sara. I am from Egypt”.

You meet this woman. Ask her name and her country.

Listen. Which name do you hear: Maryam or Salma?

Which word do you use for “you” with a man?

Say: “Nice to meet you. And you?” to a man.