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How to survive in a restaurant in Egypt? Useful phrases in Egyptian Arabic Posted by on Aug 16, 2017 in Arabic Language, Culture, Grammar, Pronunciation, Vocabulary

Kofta with rice - Lebanese restaurant in Manchester

By: Hanan Ben Nafa, at Bakchich restaurant, 2017.

Today, we’re looking at a near-authentic, restaurant scenario you may come across during your stay in Egypt. The scenario includes many important phrases you’ll need to use to order your meal and pay for it. It also includes important questions that you may be asked by the waiter, from the beginning of your visit till the end.

The conversation is between Hanan حنان  (the guest) and the waiter الجرسون

 

الجرسون: مساء الخير يا افندم.. اهلا بيكو

Masaa’ il-kheir ya fandem – Ahlan beeku

Good afternoon/evening Mr/Madame. Welcome

 

تفضلو

Tafaddalu

Welcome

 

حنان: شكرا

Shukran

Thank you

 

ممكن تدينا المينيو لو سمحت؟

Mumkin tiddeena il-menu, law samaht?

Can we have the menu please?

 

الجرسون: المنيو على الطاولة حضرتك

Il-menu ala it-tawlah hadret-ik

The menu is on the table, madam

 

حنان: اه صحيح.. متشكرة

Ah, saheeh .. mutshakkera

Oh correct .. thank you

 

جرسون..

garsoon

waiter

 

الجرسون: ايوا حضرتك.. جاهزين تطلبو دلوقتي؟

Aywa hadret-ik.. gahzeen tutlubu dilwa’ti?

Yes, madame. Are you ready to order now?

 

حنان: أيوا.. أنا عايزة كوباية ميه في الأول

Away.. ana ayza kubbayet mayya fi il-awwel

Yes.. I want at a glass of water first

 

وهو عايز شاي بالنعناع، وهي عايزه قهوه

We huwwa  ayiz shaai bin-na naa, we hiyya  ayza ahwa

And he wants mint tea and she wants coffee

 

الجرسون: خلاص كده؟

Khalaas kidah?

That’s it?

 

أيوا متشكرين.. حنطلب بعدين بعد ما نخلص دول

Away mutshakkereen.. ha-n-utublub badeen, bad ma n-khallas dool

Yes, thank you.. we’ll order later once we finish this

 

الجرسون: ماشي حضرتك.. اي خدمات تانية؟

Maashi hadret-ik .. ay khadamaat tanya?

Ok madame, anything else?

 

لا متشكرين

La mutshakkereen

No, thank you

احنا جاهزين نطلب دلوقت

Ihna gahzeen nutlub dilwa’t

We’d like to order now

 

أنا عايزة طبق السمك المشوي مع شوربة العدس

Ana ayza tabaq es-samak el-mashwi ma shurbet il-adas

I want grilled fish meal with lentil soup

 

وهو عايز شوربة فطر، وطبق مكرونة بشاميل

We huwwa ayez sherbet fetr, we taba’ makaroona bashamel

And he’d like mushroom soup and pasta with béchamel

 

وهي عايزة مكرورنة بالصلصة البيضا، ومشويات مشكلة

We hiyya ayza makaroona bis-salsah il-beeda, we mashwiyyaat meshakkilah

And she wants pasta with white sauce, and mixed grill

 

الجرسون: عايزين تطلبوا أي حاجة تشربوها مع الأكل؟

Ayzeen tutlubu ay haaga teshrabuha ma al-akl?

Would you like anything to drink?

 

حنان: أيوا.. أنا عايزة عصير برتقان طبيعي وهي عايزه أيس كريم

Away.. ana ayza seer burtuqaan tabeei, we hiyya ayza ice cream

Yes, I’d like fresh orange juice and she’d like ice cream

 

الجرسون: تمام.. دقايق ويكون الطلب جاهز

Tamaam.. da’aaye’ we ykoon it-talab gaahiz

Good.. A few minutes and the order will be ready

 

حنان: الحساب من فضلك؟

Al-hisaab min fadl-ik

The bill, please?

 

الجرسون: ثواني حضرتك

Thawani  hadret-ik

Just give me seconds, madame.

 

شكرا

Shukran

Thank you

 

إن شاء الله تنورونا في وقت قريب

Inshallah tnawwaruna fi wa’t areeb

I hope we’ll see you soon

 

حنان: إن شاء الله.. متشكرين.. مع السلامه

Inshallah .. mutshakkereen .. ma as-salaamah

God willing .. thank you.. bye

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About the Author: Hanan Ben Nafa

Hi, this is Hanan :) I'm an Arabic linguist. I completed my PhD in Linguistics - 2018. My PhD thesis was entitled Code-switching as an evaluative strategy: identity construction among Arabic-English bilinguals. I'm also a qualified public service translator & interpreter.