Egyptian Arabic A1, Unit 9: Asking for things

Asking for things

Egyptian Arabic A1 · Unit 9

GoalAsk for something politely and hand it over.

New words

مُمْكِن (mumkin) · may I, could you (lit. possible)مَعَايَا (maʿāya) · I have it with meمَعَايَاش (maʿāyāsh) · I don't have it with meمَعَاك (maʿāk) · do you have it with you? (to a man)مَعَاكِي (maʿāki) · do you have it with you? (to a woman)اِتْفَضَّل (itfaḍḍal) · here you are, please (to a man)اِتْفَضَّلِي (itfaḍḍali) · here you are, please (to a woman)

Explanation

To ask for something, say مُمْكِن (mumkin) and the thing: مُمْكِن قَلَم؟ means «may I have a pen?». Add مِن فَضْلَك to be extra polite. To ask what someone has with them now, say مَعَاك قَلَم؟ to a man and مَعَاكِي قَلَم؟ to a woman. The answer is مَعَايَا, «I have it on me», or مَعَايَاش, «I don't». عَنْد is for what you own; مَعَ is for what is with you now. When you hand something over say اِتْفَضَّل to a man or اِتْفَضَّلِي to a woman.

You want to	Say
ask politely	مُمْكِن قَلَم؟
ask a man	مَعَاك قَلَم؟
ask a woman	مَعَاكِي قَلَم؟
say yes / no	مَعَايَا / مَعَايَاش
hand it over	اِتْفَضَّل / اِتْفَضَّلِي

Worked examples

Karim

مِن فَضْلِك، مَعَاكِي قَلَم؟

Madina

أَيْوَه، مَعَايَا. اِتْفَضَّل.

Karim

شُكْرًا.

Madina

عَفْوًا.

Karim asks Madina for a pen. Press each line.

Asking politely. Press each card.

Do you have a phone with you? Yes and no.

Class activity

Play a short scene with a friend, or alone with two voices. One person asks for a pen, a book or water with مُمْكِن. The other answers مَعَايَا or مَعَايَاش and hands it over with اِتْفَضَّل. Do it once for a man and once for a woman.

Practice

Ask politely: «may I have a book?».

The picture shows a man. Ask him if he has a phone with him.

Press Listen. Is the speaker talking to a man or to a woman?

A friend asks: مَعَاك شَنْطَة؟ You don't have one with you. Answer «no, I don't have it with me».

You give a book to a woman. What do you say?

I have, there is

Asking for things