Masri grammar in 14 patterns

The 14 core patterns

Learn these, in this order.

1. 1I'm …, with no verbana men London.
2. 2Man, woman, group endings3amleen eh ya shabab?
3. 3My, your, his: possessive endingsbeitak gameel awi.
4. 4This and these: da, di, dolbekam el-kees da?
5. 5Question wordsel-saydaleya fein?
6. 6Not: mesh and ma … shma ro7tesh el-shoghl embare7.
7. 7I want to: 3ayez + verbana 3ayez aroo7 el-mattar.
8. 8The b- presentana bashrab shai kol yom.
9. 9The ha- futureana hanzel fel-ma7atta el-gaya.
10. 10The pastembare7 ro7t el-fara7.
11. 11Used to: kan + presentkanet 7afla 7elwa.
12. 12Numbers + thingstalat ayyam.
13. 13Telling someone what to dokhosh yemeen ba3d el-eshara.
14. 14Have: 3and-3andi akh wa7ed.

Unit 1: Downtown

• Talking to a man or a woman

  Many words end in -ak when you talk to a man and -ek when you talk to a woman: ezzayak? / ezzayek?

  • ezzayak ya A7mad?إزيّك يا أحمد؟How are you, Ahmed?
  • ezzayek ya Hoda?إزيّك يا هدى؟How are you, Hoda?

  Practise it in Unit 1, lesson 1: Hello & how are you

• No verb for “am”, “is” or “are”

  Masri puts the person right next to the description: ana men London = I'm from London. The same goes for enta (you, a man), enti (you, a woman), howwa (he) and heyya (she).

  • ana men London.أنا من لندن.I'm from London.
  • heyya men eskendereyya.هي من إسكندرية.She's from Alexandria.

  Practise it in Unit 1, lesson 2: Introducing yourself

• “I'm …” words add -a for a woman

  When a woman talks about herself, describing words add -a: mota2assef → mota2assfa, fahem → fahma.

  • ana mota2assef.أنا متأسف.I'm sorry (a man says it).
  • ana mota2assfa.أنا متأسفة.I'm sorry (a woman says it).

  Practise it in Unit 1, lesson 3: Please, thanks & sorry

• Not: mesh

  Put mesh in front of a describing word or a noun to say “not”: fahem → mesh fahem.

  • ana mesh fahem.أنا مش فاهم.I don't understand.
  • da mesh sa3b.ده مش صعب.That's not hard.

  Practise it in Unit 1, lesson 4: Yes, no & I don't understand

• Talking to a woman: -i on the end

  Many wishes and requests add -i when you say them to a woman: tesba7 → tesba7i, nawwart → nawwarti.

  • tesba7 3ala kheir ya A7mad.تصبح على خير يا أحمد.Good night, Ahmed.
  • tesba7i 3ala kheir ya Hoda.تصبحي على خير يا هدى.Good night, Hoda.

  Practise it in Unit 1, lesson 5: Goodbyes & God willing

• He and she: howwa, heyya

  howwa is he and heyya is she. The describing word follows the person: howwa ta3ban, heyya ta3bana.

  • howwa ta3ban ennaharda.هو تعبان النهارده.He's tired today.
  • heyya mabsoota awi.هي مبسوطة أوي.She's really happy.

  Practise it in Unit 1, lesson 6: Feelings & everyday words

Unit 2: Koshary shop

• With and without: be- and men gheir

  be- (bel- before “the”) means with, and men gheir means without. They come after the food: shai bel-ne3na3, koshary men gheir basal.

  • shai be-sokkar law sama7t.شاي بسكر لو سمحت.Tea with sugar, please.
  • wa7ed koshary men gheir basal.واحد كشري من غير بصل.One koshary without onions.

  Practise it in Unit 2, lesson 1: Ordering basics

• Counting things: talata → talat

  Before a plural noun, the numbers 3 to 10 drop their last vowel: talata → talat ayyam, khamsa → khamas da2aye2.

  • talat ayyam.تلات أيام.Three days.
  • khamas da2aye2 bas.خمس دقايق بس.Just five minutes.

  Practise it in Unit 2, lesson 2: Numbers 1–6

• From 11 up, the thing stays singular

  After numbers from 11 up, the noun stays singular: khamastashar sana, 3eshreen de2ee2a. Prices in geneh stay singular with any number.

  • 3eshreen geneh bas.عشرين جنيه بس.Just twenty pounds.
  • khamastashar sana.خمستاشر سنة.Fifteen years.

  Practise it in Unit 2, lesson 3: Numbers 7–20

• This: da, di, dol

  da is this or that for a masculine thing, di for a feminine one (often ending in -a), dol for more than one. It comes after the noun: el-kees da, el-shanta di.

  • bekam el-kees da?بكام الكيس ده؟How much is this bag?
  • el-shanta di bekam?الشنطة دي بكام؟How much is this handbag?

  Practise it in Unit 2, lesson 4: How much? Paying the bill

• There is: fi; there isn't: mafeesh

  fi means there is, or is there? as a question. mafeesh means there isn't.

  • fi ta3meyya?في طعمية؟Is there any falafel?
  • la2, mafeesh 3eish ennaharda.لأ، مفيش عيش النهارده.No, there's no bread today.

  Practise it in Unit 2, lesson 5: Food & drinks

• Very: awi, after the word

  awi means very or really, and it comes after the word it boosts: 7elw awi, ga3an awi.

  • el-akl 7elw awi.الأكل حلو أوي.The food is really good.
  • ana shab3an awi.أنا شبعان أوي.I'm really full.

  Practise it in Unit 2, lesson 6: Tastes & compliments

Unit 3: Taxi & metro

• Telling someone what to do

  Instructions use the bare verb: khosh (turn), o2af (stop), emshi (go). To a woman, add -i: khoshi, o2afi.

  • khosh yemeen ba3d el-eshara.خش يمين بعد الإشارة.Turn right after the traffic light.
  • o2af hena law sama7t.اقف هنا لو سمحت.Stop here, please.

  Practise it in Unit 3, lesson 1: Right, left, straight on

• I want to …: 3ayez + verb

  3ayez (3ayza for a woman) + an “I” verb starting with a-: 3ayez aroo7 (I want to go), 3ayez anzel (I want to get out).

  • ana 3ayez aroo7 el-mattar.أنا عايز أروح المطار.I want to go to the airport.
  • ana 3ayza anzel hena.أنا عايزة أنزل هنا.I want to get out here (a woman says it).

  Practise it in Unit 3, lesson 2: Telling the driver where to go

• Will: ha- in front of the verb

  ha- in front of a verb makes it future: anzel → hanzel (I'll get off), yeegi → hayeegi (it'll come).

  • ana hanzel fel-ma7atta el-gaya.أنا هنزل في المحطة الجاية.I'll get off at the next station.
  • el-metro hayeegi delwa2ty.المترو هييجي دلوقتي.The metro will be here any minute.

  Practise it in Unit 3, lesson 3: Riding the metro

• Telling the time

  el-sa3a + a number gives the hour. Add we nos (half past), we rob3 (quarter past) or ella rob3 (quarter to).

  • el-sa3a khamsa we nos.الساعة خمسة ونص.It's half past five.
  • el-sa3a tes3a ella rob3.الساعة تسعة إلا ربع.It's a quarter to nine.

  Practise it in Unit 3, lesson 4: What time is it?

• Question words: fein, emta, meen, eh

  fein (where), emta (when), meen (who), eh (what). They can go first or last: fein el-mattar? = el-mattar fein?

  • el-saydaleya fein?الصيدلية فين؟Where's the pharmacy?
  • el-metro bey2fel emta?المترو بيقفل إمتى؟When does the metro close?

  Practise it in Unit 3, lesson 5: Landmarks & places

• We: ne- and hane-

  Verbs about “we” start with ne-: newsal (we arrive), nemshi (we go). Add ha- for the future: hanewsal (we'll arrive).

  • hanewsal ba3d rob3 sa3a.هنوصل بعد ربع ساعة.We'll get there in a quarter of an hour.
  • yalla, nemshi men hena.يلا، نمشي من هنا.Come on, let's go this way.

  Practise it in Unit 3, lesson 6: Traffic talk

Unit 4: Khan el-Khalili

• Numbers like 45: five and forty

  Say the ones first, then we (and), then the tens: khamsa we arbe3een = 45.

  • etnein we talateen.اتنين وتلاتين.Thirty-two.
  • el-ta2eyya be khamsa we setteen.الطاقية بخمسة وستين.The cap is sixty-five.

  Practise it in Unit 4, lesson 1: Numbers 20–100

• Hundreds: toltomeyya, rob3omeyya …

  Hundreds join the number to -meyya: toltomeyya (300), rob3omeyya (400), khomsomeyya (500). 200 is meteen.

  • el-fanoos da be rob3omeyya.الفانوس ده بربعمية.This lantern is four hundred.
  • sottomeyya we khamseen.ستمية وخمسين.Six hundred and fifty.

  Practise it in Unit 4, lesson 2: Numbers up to 1000

• Cheaper, bigger: arkhas, akbar

  To compare, reshape the word as a-…-a…: rekhees → arkhas, kebeer → akbar, ghaly → aghla. “Than” is men.

  • 3andak 7aga arkhas?عندك حاجة أرخص؟Do you have anything cheaper?
  • da aghla men da.ده أغلى من ده.This one is more expensive than that one.

  Practise it in Unit 4, lesson 3: Too expensive!

• Colours change for feminine things

  Colours have their own feminine form: a7mar → 7amra, azra2 → zar2a, eswed → sooda, abyad → beida.

  • el-amees da eswed.القميص ده إسود.This shirt is black.
  • el-shanta di 7amra.الشنطة دي حمرا.This bag is red.

  Practise it in Unit 4, lesson 4: Colours & sizes

• If: law + past verb

  law means if, and the verb after it is in the past: law akhadt (if I take), law dafa3t (if I pay).

  • law akhadt talata, bekam?لو أخدت تلاتة، بكام؟If I take three, how much?
  • law 3agabak, khodo.لو عجبك، خده.If you like it, take it.

  Practise it in Unit 4, lesson 5: Your final price?

• Can I …? momken + verb

  momken + an “I” verb asks to do something: momken adfa3? (can I pay?). With a “you” verb it asks someone else: momken te7ottaha? (could you put it?).

  • momken ashoof da?ممكن أشوف ده؟Can I see this one?
  • momken te7ottaha fe kees?ممكن تحطها في كيس؟Could you put it in a bag?

  Practise it in Unit 4, lesson 6: Closing the deal

Unit 5: Family visit

• Have: 3andi, 3andak, 3andek

  There's no verb “to have”: 3and + an ending does the job: 3andi (I have), 3andak / 3andek (you have), 3ando (he has), 3andaha (she has).

  • 3andi akh wa7ed.عندي أخ واحد.I have one brother.
  • heyya 3andaha talat ekhwat.هي عندها تلات إخوات.She has three brothers and sisters.

  Practise it in Unit 5, lesson 1: Meet the family

• Your: -ak, -ek, -ko

  Add -ak (to a man), -ek (to a woman) or -ko (to a group) to a noun for “your”: beitak, beitek, beitko.

  • beitak gameel awi.بيتك جميل أوي.Your home is really beautiful (to a man).
  • beitko 7elw awi.بيتكم حلو أوي.Your home is lovely (to the whole family).

  Practise it in Unit 5, lesson 2: At the door

• Eat! kol, koli, kolo

  Commands change with who you talk to: kol to a man, koli to a woman, kolo to a group. Same with khod / khodi / khodo (take).

  • koli ya Hoda!كلي يا هدى!Eat, Hoda!
  • khodo kaman ya wlad!خدوا كمان يا ولاد!Have some more, kids!

  Practise it in Unit 5, lesson 3: Compliments for the cook

• Every day: the b- present

  b- in front of a verb is the everyday present: bashtaghal (I work), beteshrab (you drink), bey7eb (he loves).

  • ana bashrab shai kol yom.أنا بشرب شاي كل يوم.I drink tea every day.
  • enta beteshtaghal fein?إنت بتشتغل فين؟Where do you work?

  Practise it in Unit 5, lesson 4: Talking about yourself

• Did: the past with -t

  For “I did”, add -t to the past verb: akal → akalt (I ate), ra7 → ro7t (I went). The same form means “you did” to a man.

  • embare7 ro7t el-fara7.امبارح رحت الفرح.Yesterday I went to the wedding.
  • akalt ka7k kteer fel-3eid.أكلت كحك كتير في العيد.I ate lots of ka7k at Eid.

  Practise it in Unit 5, lesson 5: Holidays & occasions

• Was: kan, kanet

  kan is was (kanet for a feminine thing). kan + a b- verb means “used to”: kont baroo7 = I used to go.

  • kanet 7afla 7elwa.كانت حفلة حلوة.It was a lovely party.
  • kont baroo7 el-madrasa hena.كنت بروح المدرسة هنا.I used to go to school here.

  Practise it in Unit 5, lesson 6: Saying goodbye to your hosts

Unit 6: Ahwa

• A man, a woman, a group: 3amel, 3amla, 3amleen

  Many words have three forms: for a man, a woman, and a group (-een): 3amel / 3amla / 3amleen, fadi / fadya / fadyeen.

  • 3amleen eh ya shabab?عاملين إيه يا شباب؟How are you doing, guys?
  • 3amla eh ya Hoda?عاملة إيه يا هدى؟How are you doing, Hoda?

  Practise it in Unit 6, lesson 1: What's new?

• Didn't: ma … sh

  Verbs go negative wrapped in ma … sh: ro7t → ma ro7tesh (I didn't go). The future and describing words use mesh: mesh ha2dar (I won't be able to).

  • ma ro7tesh el-shoghl embare7.مرحتش الشغل امبارح.I didn't go to work yesterday.
  • mesh ha2dar agi ennaharda.مش هقدر آجي النهارده.I won't be able to come today.

  Practise it in Unit 6, lesson 2: Making plans

• Don't …: ma te … sh

  To tell someone not to do something, wrap the “you” verb in ma … sh: ma tez3alsh (don't be upset), ma te2la2sh (don't worry).

  • ma te2la2sh, kollo tamam.متقلقش، كله تمام.Don't worry, it's all fine.
  • ma tez3aleesh ya Hoda.متزعليش يا هدى.Don't be upset, Hoda.

  Practise it in Unit 6, lesson 3: Feelings

• With me, on me: ma3aya, 3alaya

  Little words like ma3a (with) and 3ala (on) take endings too: ma3aya (with me), ma3ak (with you), 3alaya (on me).

  • mesh far2a ma3aya.مش فارقة معايا.It's all the same to me.
  • el-ahwa 3alaya ennaharda.القهوة عليا النهارده.Coffee's on me today.

  Practise it in Unit 6, lesson 4: Everyday slang

• Fans and places: -y, -awy

  Add -y (or -awy) for a man and -eya (or -aweya) for a woman to say where you're from or who you support: masry / masreya, ahlawy / ahlaweya.

  • ana masry.أنا مصري.I'm Egyptian (a man says it).
  • heyya eskendaraneya.هي إسكندرانية.She's from Alexandria.

  Practise it in Unit 6, lesson 5: Football talk

• His and her: -o, -ha

  -o means his and -ha means her: dammo (his blood), dammaha (her blood). So dammaha khafeef = she's fun.

  • dammo khafeef awi.دمه خفيف أوي.He's really funny.
  • esmaha Hoda.اسمها هدى.Her name is Hoda.

  Practise it in Unit 6, lesson 6: Jokes & reactions