1
My family
Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 6
GoalName the closest family members: father, mother, brother, sister.
New words
عَيْلَة (ʿēla) · familyأَب (ab) · fatherأُمّ (umm) · motherبَابَا (bāba) · dadمَامَا (māma) · mumأَخ (akh) · brotherأُخْت (ukht) · sister
Explanation
Family is عَيْلَة (ʿēla). A father is أَب (ab) and a mother is أُمّ (umm). At home Egyptians usually say بَابَا and مَامَا. A brother is أَخ (akh) and a sister is أُخْت (ukht). The letter خ (kh) is a rough sound, like «ch» in Scottish «loch». The ending ة is said -a, as in ʿēla.
Worked examples
The four closest people. Press each card.
Two short sentences about dad and mum. They are from Egypt. Press each card.
The whole family together is عَيْلَة.
Class activity
Look at a family photo or draw your family. Under each person write the Arabic word: أَب، أُمّ، أَخ، أُخْت. Say each word aloud. Then say بَابَا and مَامَا the way you would at home.
Practice
1
Which Arabic word means «sister»?
أُخْت (ukht).
2
Say «family» in Arabic.
عَيْلَة (ʿēla).
3
What do Egyptians often call dad and mum at home?
بَابَا and مَامَا.
4
Say «father» and «mother» in Arabic.
أَب (ab) and أُمّ (umm).
5
Write «brother» in Arabic.
أَخ