Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 8: Yes–no questions

Yes–no questions

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 8

GoalAsk questions that have the answer yes or no, and answer them.

New words

أَيْوَه (aywa) · yesآهْ (āh) · yes (relaxed)لَأ (laʾ) · noمِش (mish) · notصَحّ؟ (ṣaḥḥ?) · right?طَيِّب (ṭayyib) · okay, all rightإِنْتَ مِصْرِي؟ (inta miṣri?) · are you Egyptian? (to a man)

Explanation

Egyptians do not need a special word for yes–no questions. Keep the sentence and raise your voice at the end: إِنْتَ مِصْرِي؟ means «are you Egyptian?». Answer أَيْوَه (aywa) or آهْ (āh, more relaxed) for «yes» and لَأ (laʾ) for «no». After لَأ give the right answer. To say «not», put مِش before the word: أَنَا مِش مِصْرِي. Say صَحّ؟ to ask «right?», and طَيِّب to say «okay». In writing, the question ends with ؟.

Question	Yes	No
إِنْتَ مِصْرِي؟	أَيْوَه، أَنَا مِصْرِي.	لَأ، أَنَا مِش مِصْرِي.
إِنْتِي طَالِبَة؟	أَيْوَه، أَنَا طَالِبَة.	لَأ، أَنَا مِش طَالِبَة.
الكِتَاب جَدِيد؟	أَيْوَه، جَدِيد.	لَأ، مِش جَدِيد.

Worked examples

Omar

إِنْتَ مِصْرِي؟

Ali

لَأ، أَنَا أُوزْبَكِي.

Omar

طَيِّب.

Omar and Ali. Press each line.

A statement and a question have the same words: only the voice changes.

Maryam

الكِتَاب كُوَيِّس؟

Hana

آهْ، حِلْو أَوِي.

Maryam asks Hana about a book. Press each line.

Class activity

Practise the voice. Say five statements, for example دَه كِتَاب, and turn each into a question by raising your voice. Answer each with أَيْوَه or لَأ and a full sentence. Record yourself and listen: does your voice go up at the end of each question?

Practice

Make a question from «هِيَّ طَالِبَة» (she is a student).

You are a man from Uzbekistan. Answer إِنْتَ مِصْرِي؟ with «no».

Say two words for «yes».

Say «no, it is not new» about a book.

What does طَيِّب mean?

Questions

Yes–no questions