How to say “it's too expensive” in Egyptian Arabic
In Cairo you say ghaly awi! (غالي أوي!). Tap play to hear it, then slow it down.
Read it your way:
- ghaly awi!غالي أوي!That's really expensive!
Say it with a smile: it's the opening move of a friendly bargain.
When to use it
Ghaly awi is the opening move of every bargain in Khan el-Khalili. Say it with a smile, then make a counter-offer.
Learn it with
rekhees
رخيصCheap
da kteer
ده كتيرThat's too much
mesh ma32ool!
مش معقول!No way! (That's unbelievable!)
3andak 7aga arkhas?
عندك حاجة أرخص؟Do you have something cheaper? (to a man)
Say it out loud in a 6-minute lesson
“ghaly awi!” is in Unit 4, Khan el-Khalili: “Too expensive!”. Start free with Units 1–2, then unlock every unit with Pro. Practise with Egyptian audio, pronunciation feedback and an AI partner that talks like a Cairene.