Do I need Arabic on the Red Sea coast?

No. English is widely spoken in every resort, hotel and tourist restaurant, and you can have an entire holiday without a word of Arabic. But about thirty words changes how you are treated — greetings and courtesy in particular are received with real warmth, and being able to say no pleasantly is the difference between a relaxed week and a wearing one.

Is Egyptian Arabic different from what a phrasebook teaches?

Yes, and it matters. Most phrasebooks teach Modern Standard Arabic, which is the language of news broadcasts and nobody’s conversation. Egyptian Arabic pronounces the letter jim as a hard "g" — gameel, not jameel — and has its own everyday vocabulary. Egyptian dialect is also the most widely understood across the Arab world, thanks to a century of Egyptian cinema.

What is the most useful thing to learn?

"La’ shukran" — no thank you. Said warmly while continuing to walk, it ends an unwanted sales conversation cleanly. Ignoring someone is read as contempt and tends to make them more persistent; a clear friendly refusal is read as an answer and is almost always respected.

Will people mind if I get it wrong?

No. The usual response to a foreigner attempting Arabic is delight rather than correction. Three badly pronounced words go further here than fluent English, and nobody is grading you.

What does "insha’allah" actually mean?

Literally "God willing". It is a sincere expression of hope about anything in the future — and it is also used as a soft way of not committing. Both meanings are real, and which one is intended is usually clear from context. If your taxi is booked for seven "insha’allah", it is worth confirming.

Arabic worth knowing

Not a phrasebook — about thirty words, in the dialect people around you are actually speaking, organised by the moment you need them. You can holiday here without a single one. Learning them changes the week anyway.

Greetings

Greeting someone before asking them for anything is not optional politeness here — it is the normal order of a conversation, and skipping it reads as brusque.

Peace be upon you (the standard hello)السلام عليكم
as-salaamu alaykum
The reply is "wa alaykum as-salaam". Works everywhere, with anyone, at any hour.
Hi (informal)أهلاً
ahlan
Good morningصباح الخير
sabaah el-kheir
The reply is "sabaah el-noor" — morning of light. It is a nice exchange.
Good eveningمساء الخير
masaa el-kheir
Reply: "masaa el-noor".
How are you?إزيك؟
izzayyak? (to a man) / izzayyik? (to a woman)
Fine, thank Godكويس، الحمد لله
kwayyis, alhamdulillah
Welcomeأهلاً وسهلاً
ahlan wa sahlan
Goodbyeمع السلامة
ma'a salaama

The courtesy words

These four do most of the work. Using them badly is far better than not using them, and people will help you with the pronunciation cheerfully.

Pleaseمن فضلك
min fadlak (to a man) / min fadlik (to a woman)
Thank youشكراً
shukran
Thank you very muchشكراً جزيلاً
shukran gazeelan
You're welcome / don't mention itعفواً
afwan
Excuse me (to get attention)لو سمحت
law samaht (to a man) / law samahti (to a woman)
This is how you call a waiter or stop someone to ask a question. Not "hey".
Sorryآسف
aasif (man speaking) / asfa (woman speaking)
Yesأيوة
aywa
"Na'am" is the formal version and also fine.
Noلا
la'

Saying no, and meaning it

The most useful section on this page. Ignoring someone is read as contempt; a clear, friendly refusal is read as an answer and almost always respected. Say it, smile, keep walking.

No thank youلا شكراً
la' shukran
The single most useful phrase in Egypt. Warm tone, no eye contact required, keep moving.
I don't want itمش عايز
mish aayez (man speaking) / mish ayza (woman speaking)
Enough / that's it / we're doneخلاص
khalaas
Enormously versatile. Ends a haggle, stops a top-up, closes a conversation. Said kindly it is not rude at all.
I already have oneعندي واحد
andi waahid
Maybe laterبعدين
ba'dein
Soft, polite, and understood as a no.
Leave me alone (firm)سيبني في حالي
sibni fi haali
Rarely needed. Keep it in reserve.

Prices and haggling

Haggling is expected in bazaars and with taxis, and not in supermarkets, pharmacies or restaurants. Knowing the numbers changes the conversation more than anything else you can learn.

How much?بكام؟
bikaam?
Too expensiveغالي أوي
ghaali awi
What is your best price?آخر كلام؟
aakhir kalaam?
Literally "last word?" — the standard haggling move.
No changeمفيش فكة
mafiish fakka
You will hear this. Carrying small notes defuses it.
The bill, pleaseالحساب لو سمحت
el-hisaab law samaht
Is this the price for Egyptians?ده سعر المصريين؟
da si'r el-masriyyeen?
Said with a smile, this is a joke everyone gets — and it often moves the price.

Numbers one to ten

Worth ten minutes of your time. Being able to hear a price is the difference between negotiating and guessing.

One١ واحد
waahid
Two٢ اتنين
itnein
Three٣ تلاتة
talaata
Four٤ أربعة
arba'a
Five٥ خمسة
khamsa
Six٦ ستة
sitta
Seven٧ سبعة
saba'a
Eight٨ تمانية
tamanya
Nine٩ تسعة
tis'a
Ten١٠ عشرة
ashara
Twenty٢٠ عشرين
ishreen
Fifty٥٠ خمسين
khamsiin
One hundred١٠٠ مية
miyya

Getting around

Enough to direct a taxi and find a bathroom, which covers most emergencies.

Where is...?فين...؟
fein...?
Hereهنا
hina
Stop here, pleaseقف هنا لو سمحت
'af hina law samaht
Straight aheadعلى طول
ala tool
Right / leftيمين / شمال
yimiin / shimaal
The bathroomالحمام
el-hammaam
The beachالبحر
el-bahr
Literally "the sea" — it is what people say.
Airportالمطار
el-mataar
Hospitalالمستشفى
el-mustashfa
Let's goيالا
yalla
You will hear this constantly. It means everything from "hurry up" to "right then".

Eating and drinking

Ordering in Arabic in a local place is received well and often changes the meal you get.

Waterمية
mayya
Teaشاي
shaay
Coffeeقهوة
'ahwa
Without sugarمن غير سكر
min gheir sukkar
Ask before it arrives — the default is sweet.
Breadعيش
eish
Literally "life". It arrives whether you order it or not.
Deliciousلذيذ
lazeez
I am fullشبعت
shabe't
Necessary. Hospitality here does not take a hint.
No meatمن غير لحمة
min gheir lahma
Not spicyمش حار
mish haar

Expressions you will hear constantly

Not phrases you need to say so much as ones you need to recognise. Understanding these makes a week here feel completely different.

God willingإن شاء الله
insha'allah
A genuine expression of hope, and also a soft way of not committing. Whether the taxi arrives at seven depends somewhat on which was meant.
Thank Godالحمد لله
alhamdulillah
The normal answer to "how are you", regardless of how you are.
What God has willed (said admiring something)ما شاء الله
masha'allah
Said about a beautiful thing, a well-behaved child, good news. Warm and very common.
No problemمفيش مشكلة
mafiish mushkila
Slowly, slowlyشوية شوية
shwaya shwaya
Useful with a driver, a dive guide, or anyone speaking too fast.
Good / niceكويس
kwayyis
Beautifulجميل
gameel
Note the hard g — this is the Egyptian pronunciation.
My friendيا صاحبي
ya sahbi
What every shopkeeper will call you. It is friendly, not a sales tactic.

Saying it so it lands

The letter ج is a hard "g"

In Cairo and along this coast, ج is pronounced like the g in "go", not the j in "jam". So gameel, not jameel; gali, not jali. Saying it the MSA way is understood but marks you instantly as reading from a book.

The apostrophe is a stop, not a sound

Where a transliteration here has an apostrophe — "la'", "'ahwa" — it marks a catch in the throat, like the middle of the Cockney "bottle". Skipping it entirely is fine and you will still be understood.

Words change with who you are speaking to

Arabic marks gender on the person you address, which is why "min fadlak" becomes "min fadlik" to a woman. Getting it wrong is a very small error and nobody will mind.

Effort counts far more than accuracy

Three badly pronounced words are received better here than fluent English, and the response is usually delight rather than correction. This is not a country that judges your Arabic.

Two more things worth knowing

Tipping and the customs around it are covered in our etiquette guide, and if you are here during Ramadan the daytime rhythm changes completely — see what’s on across the year.

Common questions

Do I need Arabic on the Red Sea coast?: No. English is widely spoken in every resort, hotel and tourist restaurant, and you can have an entire holiday without a word of Arabic. But about thirty words changes how you are treated — greetings and courtesy in particular are received with real warmth, and being able to say no pleasantly is the difference between a relaxed week and a wearing one.
Is Egyptian Arabic different from what a phrasebook teaches?: Yes, and it matters. Most phrasebooks teach Modern Standard Arabic, which is the language of news broadcasts and nobody’s conversation. Egyptian Arabic pronounces the letter jim as a hard "g" — gameel, not jameel — and has its own everyday vocabulary. Egyptian dialect is also the most widely understood across the Arab world, thanks to a century of Egyptian cinema.
What is the most useful thing to learn?: "La’ shukran" — no thank you. Said warmly while continuing to walk, it ends an unwanted sales conversation cleanly. Ignoring someone is read as contempt and tends to make them more persistent; a clear friendly refusal is read as an answer and is almost always respected.
Will people mind if I get it wrong?: No. The usual response to a foreigner attempting Arabic is delight rather than correction. Three badly pronounced words go further here than fluent English, and nobody is grading you.
What does "insha’allah" actually mean?: Literally "God willing". It is a sincere expression of hope about anything in the future — and it is also used as a soft way of not committing. Both meanings are real, and which one is intended is usually clear from context. If your taxi is booked for seven "insha’allah", it is worth confirming.

Checked 25 July 2026. Rules and prices change — we link official sources so you can confirm on the day. Something out of date? Tell us.