Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 8: When, why, how

When, why, how

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 8

GoalAsk when, why and how, and answer with a time word or a reason.

New words

إِمْتَى (imta) · whenلِيه (lēh) · whyإِزَّاي (izzāy) · howدِلْوَقْتِي (dilwaʾti) · nowبُكْرَة (bukra) · tomorrowعَشَان (ʿashān) · becauseالجَوّ (il-gaww) · the weather

Explanation

إِمْتَى (imta) asks «when?», لِيه (lēh) asks «why?» and إِزَّاي (izzāy) asks «how?». To answer «when?», say a time word: دِلْوَقْتِي (now) or بُكْرَة (tomorrow). More time words come in unit 11. To answer «why?», start with عَشَان (ʿashān, because) and give a reason. إِزَّاي asks about the state of something: الجَوّ إِزَّاي؟ means «how is the weather?». You already know the same word in إِزَّيَّك (how are you). In دِلْوَقْتِي the letter ق is said as a hamza.

Word	Means	Example
إِمْتَى	when	إِمْتَى؟ — بُكْرَة.
لِيه	why	لِيه؟ — عَشَان هِيَّ جَدِيدَة.
إِزَّاي	how	الجَوّ إِزَّاي؟ — حِلْو.

Worked examples

Karim

إِمْتَى؟

Maryam

بُكْرَة.

Karim

وِدِلْوَقْتِي؟

Maryam

لَأ، مِش دِلْوَقْتِي.

Karim asks Maryam when. Press each line.

Layla

دِي شَنْطَة حِلْوَة!

Hassan

لِيه؟

Layla

عَشَان هِيَّ جَدِيدَة.

Why? Because… Press each line.

Dina

الجَوّ إِزَّاي؟

Hassan

حِلْو أَوِي.

How is the weather? Press each line.

Class activity

Write three mini conversations on paper, one with إِمْتَى, one with لِيه and one with إِزَّاي. Answer each with a time word, a reason with عَشَان, or an adjective. Say them aloud with a friend. Ask الجَوّ إِزَّاي؟ every morning for a week and answer.

Practice

Which word means «why»?

Someone asks إِمْتَى؟ and you want to say «now». What do you say?

Ask «how is the weather?».

Say «because» in Arabic.

Answer إِمْتَى؟ with «tomorrow».

Questions

When, why, how