Adverbs

A verb explains what is being done: adverbs can be used to specify how, when, where and in what manner it is being done. There can be more than one adverb- they are placed after the verb. Here are some examples.

Example
directionAhmed is going up (stairs)
'ahmad TaalaA foo'aacHmad TaalaA fwq
أحمـَد طا َلـَع فوق
positionAhmed is coming here
'ahmad gayi hinaaacHmad gayy hinaa
أحمـَد جـَيي هـِنا َ
timeAhmed will come tomorrow evening
'ahmad hayigi bukra biilleelaacHmad Hayigy bukrao bi-iil-lyl
أحمـَد حـَيـِجي بـُكر َة بـِا ِلّيل
frequencyAhmed always walks
'ahmad biyimshi daymanaacHmad biyimshy daymaaN
أحمـَد بـِيـِمشي د َيماً
qualityAhmed walks quickly
'ahmad biyimshi bisuraAaaacHmad biyimshy bi-suraAao
أحمـَد بـِيـِمشي بـِسـُر َعـَة
degreeAhmed walks extremely quickly
'ahmad biyimshi bisuraAa giddanaacHmad biyimshy bi-suraAao giddaaN
أحمـَد بـِيـِمشي بـِسـُر َعـَة جـِدّاً
Ahmed always walks slowly upstairs in the evening
'ahmad biyiTaalaA ilsalaalim dayman bishweesh fi illeelaacHmad biyiTaalaA iil-salaalim daymaaN bishwysh fy iil-lyl
أحمـَد بـِيـِطا َلـَع ا ِلسـَلا َلـِم د َيماً بـِشويش في ا ِلّيل

direction

Direction adverbs can be used with verbs like go

EnglishEgyptianEnglish exampleEgyptian example
upfoo'fwq
فوق
I am going upstairs'ana TaalaA foo'aacnaa TaalaA fwq
أنا َ طا َلـَع فوق
downtahttaHt
تـَحت
he dived downGiTis tahtGiTis taHt
غـِطـِس تـَحت
leftshamaalshamaal
شـَما َل
turn left!Kushsh shamaalKushsh shamaal!
خـُشّ شـَما َل
rightyimeenyimyn
يـِمين
look right!buSS yimeenbuSS yimyn!
بـُصّ يـِمين
straight aheadAala ToolAalY Twl
عـَلى طول
go(walk) straight ahead'imshi Aala Tooliicmshy AalY Twl
إمشي عـَلى طول

location

Location adverbs can be used with verbs like go

EnglishEgyptianEnglish exampleEgyptian example
herehinahinaa
هـِناَ
come here!taAala hinataAaalY hinaa!
تـَعا َلى هـِنا َ
therehinaakhinaak
هـِنا َك
I have to go there tomorrowlaazim 'aruwh hinaak bukrahlaazim aacruwH hinaak bukrah
لا َز ِم أر ُوح هـِنا َك بـُكر َه

time

Time adverbs are used to specify when you do something: they can be used with almost any verb. Here are some examples:

EnglishEgyptianExample
immediatelyhaalanHaalaaN
حا َلاً
I will open it immediately
haftahuh haalanhaftaH-uh HaalaaN
هـَفتـَحـُه حا َلاً
nowdilwa'tidilwaqty
د ِلو َقتي
we are ready now
'ihna gahzeen dilwa'tiiicHnaa gaahizyn dilwaqty
إحنا َ جا َهـِزين د ِلو َقتي
alreadyno equivalenthe (is) already here
huwwa mawgoodhuwwa mawgwd
هـُوّ َ مـَوجود
todayilnahardaiil-nahaar-dao
ا ِلنـَها َرد َة
the party is this evening
ilhafla ilnaharda biilleeliil-Haflao iil-nahaar-dao bi-iil-lyl
ا ِلحـَفلـَة ا ِلنـَها َرد َة بـِا ِلّيل
tomorrowbukrahbukrah
بـُكر َه
I will go to Alexandria tomorrow
haruwh il'iskandiraaya bukrahharuwH iil-iicskandiraayao bukrah
هـَر ُوح ا ِلإسكـَند ِرا َيـَة بـُكر َه
the day after tomorrowbaAd bukrahbaAd bukrah
بـَعد بـُكر َه
I will come back the day after tomorrow
'ana hargaA baAd bukrahaacnaa hargaA baAd bukrah
أنا َ هـَرجـَع بـَعد بـُكر َه
yesterday'imbaarihiicmbaariH
إمبا َر ِح
she arrived yesterday
waSalt 'imbaarihwaSalt iicmbaariH
و َصـَلت إمبا َر ِح
day before yesterday'awil 'imbaarihaacwil iicmbaariH
أو ِل إمبا َر ِح
I bought it the day before yesterday
'ashtareetuh 'awil 'imbaarihaacshtaryt-uh aacwil iicmbaariH
أشتـَريتـُه أو ِل إمبا َر ِح
next weekil'usbwaA illigaaiiil-uucsbwaA iil-li-gaay
ا ِلأ ُسبو َع ا ِلّـِجا َي
we will go home next week
hanrawwah il'usbwaA illigaaihanrawwaH iil-uucsbwaA iil-li-gaay
هـَنر َوّ َح ا ِلأ ُسبو َع ا ِلّـِجا َي
this weekil'usbwaA dihiil-uucsbwaA dih
ا ِلأ ُسبو َع د ِه
we are on holiday this week
ihna fi 'agaaza il'usbwaA dihiiHnaa fy aacgaazao iil-uucsbwaA dih
ا ِحنا َ في أجا َز َة ا ِلأ ُسبو َع د ِه
last weekil'usbwaA 'illi faatiil-uucsbwaA iiclly faat
ا ِلأ ُسبو َع إلّي فا َت
I saw her last week
shuftaha il'usbwaA 'illi faatshuft-ahaa iil-uucsbwaA iiclly faat
شـُفتـَها َ ا ِلأ ُسبو َع إلّي فا َت
earlybadribadry
بـَدري
we must get up early tomorrow
laazim ni'oom badri bukrahlaazim niqwm badry bukrah
لا َز ِم نـِقوم بـَدري بـُكر َه
eveningbiilleelbi-iil-lyl
بـِا ِلّيل
there is a party this evening
fi hafla biilleelfy Haflao bi-iil-lyl
في حـَفلـَة بـِا ِلّيل
later baAdeenbaAdyn
بـَعدين
see you later
hashoofak baAdeenHashwf-ak baAdyn
حـَشوفـَك بـَعدين
again kamaan marrahkamaan marrah
كـَما َن مـَرّ َه
play that song again
Ganni il'aGniya dih kamaan marrahGanny iil-aacGniyao dih kamaan marrah
غـَنّي ا ِلأغنـِيـَة د ِه كـَما َن مـَرّ َه
afterwardsbaAd kidabaAd kidao
بـَعد كـِد َة
we will eat and afterwards we will sit in the garden
hanaakul wa baAd kida hani'Aad fyilgineenahanaakul wa baAd kidao haniqAad fy-iil-ginynao
هـَنا َكـُل و َ بـَعد كـِد َة هـَنـِقعـَد فيا ِلجـِنينـَة
ago minmin
مـِن
I have lived here for a long time
(lit. since a long time ago
sikint hina min zamaansikint hinaa min zamaan
سـِكـِنت هـِنا َ مـِن ز َما َن

frequency

This group of adverbs specifies how frequently you do something. Here are some examples:

<
EnglishEgyptianExample
usuallyAaadatanAaadataaN
عا َد َتاً
I usually take a nap after lunch
baaKud Aadatan taAseella baAd ilGada'baaKud AadataaN taAsyllao baAd iil-GadaaC
با َخـُد عـَد َتاً تـَعسيلّـَة بـَعد ا ِلغـَدا َء
alwaysdaymandaymaaN
د َيماً
his office is always neat
maktabuh mitsattif daymanmaktab-uh mitsattif daymaaN
مـَكتـَبـُه مـِتسـَتّـِف د َيماً
rarelynadrannaadiraaN
نا َد ِراً
I rarely see Ahmed
'ana bashoof ahmad nadranaacnaa baashwf aaHmad naadiraaN
أنا َ با َشوف ا َحمـَد نا َد ِراً
regularlybi'intiZaambi-iicntiZaam
بـِإنتـِظا َم
I go to the gym regularly
barooh ilgeem bi'intiZaambarwH iil-gym bi-iicntiZaam
بـَروح ا ِلجيم بـِإنتـِظا َم
recentlymin 'urayibmin qurayib
مـِن قـُر َيـِب
somebody asked me about that recently
hadd s'aalni Aanuh dih min 'urayibHadd saacal-ny Aan-uh dih min qurayib
حـَدّ سأ َلني عـَنـُه د ِه مـِن قـُر َيـِب
never'abadanaacbadaaN
أبـَداً
I will never speak to him again
'abadan mish hakallimuh thaeniaacbadaaN mish hakallimuh thaeny
أبـَداً مـِش هـَكـَلّـِمـُه ثا َني
againthaanithaany
ثا َني
I would like to go there again
Aaayiz 'arooh hinaak thaaniAaayiz aacrwH hinaak thaany
عا َيـِز أروح هـِنا َك ثا َني
oftenGalibanGalibaaN
غـَلـِباً
she is often tired
hiya taAbaana Galibanhiya taAbaanao GalibaaN
هـِي َ تـَعبا َنـَة غـَلـِباً
foreverlil'abadlil-aacbad
لـِلأبـَد
nobody lives for ever
mahaddish biyiAish lil'abadmaHaddish biyiAish lil-aacbad
مـَحـَدّ ِش بـِيـِعـِش لـِلأبـَد
all dayTool ilyoomTwl iil-ywm
طول ا ِليوم
it rained all day
maTTar Tool ilyoommaTTar Twl iil-ywm
مـَطّـَر طول ا ِليوم
all (my/his/her) lifeTool ilAumrTwl iil-Aumr
طول ا ِلعـُمر
he smoked cigarettes all his life
kaan biyishrib sagaayar Tool Aumruhkaan biyishrib sagaayar Twl Aumr-uh
كا َن بـِيـِشر ِب سـَجا َيـَر طول عـُمر ُه
firstly'awilanaacwilaaN
أو ِلاً
finally'aKeeranaacKyraaN
أخيراً
he finally visited london
zaar lundun 'aKeeranzaar lundun aacKyraaN
زا َر لـُند ُن أخيراً
occasionallymin wa't lilthaanimin waqt lil-thaany
مـِن و َقت لـِلثا َني
I go to the park occasionally
barooh ilgineena min wa't lilthaanibarwH iil-ginynao min waqt lil-thaany
بـَروح ا ِلجـِنينـَة مـِن و َقت لـِلثا َني
hourlybiilsaaAabi-iil-saaAao
بـِا ِلسا َعـَة
you must check hourly
laazim titammim biilsaaAalaazim titammim bi-iil-saaAao
لا َز ِم تـِتـَمّـِم بـِا ِلسا َعـَة
sometimes'ahyaananaacHyaanaaN
أحيا َناً
we sometimes see sharks here
binishoof samak 'irsh 'ahyaanan hinabinishwf samak qirsh aacHyaanaaN hinaa
بـِنـِشوف سـَمـَك قـِرش أحيا َناً هـِناَ
sometimes'aoo'aataacwqaat
أوقا َت
it sometimes rains in Egypt
'aoo'aat bitmaTTar fi maSraacwqaat bitmaTTar fy maSr
أوقا َت بـِتمـَطّـَر في مـَصر

Note: always goes at beginning of sentence

Degree

The following adverbs can be placed after an adjective or another adverb to indicate the degree:

English Egyptian
slightly shuwayashuwayao
شـُو َيـَة
reasonably maA'oolamaAqwlao
مـَعقولـَة
very 'awiqawy
قـَوي
extremely KaaliSKaaliS
خا َلـِص
giddangiddaaN
جـِدّاً
Aail'aKirAa-iil-aacKir
عـَا ِلأخـِر
too 'awiqawy
قـَوي

You may have noticed that the word qawy has two meanings: very and too. This sometimes causes confusion when Egyptians speak English: they say, for example, "I like you too much"" when they mean "I like you very much".

Derived adverbs

Most adjectives in English can be converted to an adverb by adding the letters -ly, for example nice becomes nicely. In Egyptian, the adjective can be converted to an adverb by adding the ending -an_aaN ـاً

Englishadjectiveadverb
officiallyrasmirasmy
ر َسمي
rasmyanrasmyaaN
ر َسمياً
theoreticallynaZarinaZary
نـَظـَري
naZariyannaZariyaaN
نـَظـَر ِياً
naturallyTabeeAiTabyAy
طـَبيعي
TabeeAyanTabyAyaaN
طـَبيعياً
literallyharfiHarfy
حـَرفي
harfyanHarfyaaN
حـَرفياً
generallyAumoomiAumwmy
عـُمومي
AumoomanAumwmaaN
عـُموماً
normallyAaadiAaady
عا َدي
AadatanAadataaN
عـَد َتاً
slightly'ulayilqulayil
قـُلـَيـِل
'alayalanqalayalaaN
قـَلـَيـَلاً

Similarly, a noun can be converted to an adverbal phrase by adding the word with, for example with care. In Egyptian, the same can be achieved by adding bi-bi_ بـِ at the start of the word.

EnglishEgyptianExample
with carebihazarbi-Hadhar
بـِحـَذ َر
he opened the box carefully
fatah ilAalba bihazarfataH iil-Aalbao bi-Hadhar
فـَتـَح ا ِلعـَلبـَة بـِحـَذ َر
with speedbisurAabi-surAao
بـِسـُرعـَة
Ahmed drives very fast
'ahmad biyisoo' bisurAa 'awiaacHmad biyiswq bi-surAao qawy
أحمـَد بـِيـِسوق بـِسـُرعـَة قـَوي
with calmbiilraahabi-iil-raaHao
بـِا ِلرا َحـَة
play (pl) quietly!
'ilaAbu biilraahaiiclaAboo bi-iil-raaHao
إلـَعبو ا بـِا ِلرا َحـَة
with precisionbiilZabTbi-iil-ZabT
بـِا ِلظـَبط
the meeting took exactly one hour
il'igtimaaA 'aKad saaAa biilZabTiil-iicgtimaaA aacKad saaAao bi-iil-ZabT
ا ِلإجتـِما َع أخـَد سا َعـَة بـِا ِلظـَبط
with moderationbi'iAatidaalbi-iicAatidaal
بـِإعـَتـِدا َل
eat moderately
'akul bi'iAatidaalaackul bi-iicAatidaal
أكـُل بـِإعـَتـِدا َل
in the eveningbiilleelbi-iil-lyl
بـِا ِلّيل
there is a party this evening
fi hafla biilleelfy Haflao bi-iil-lyl
في حـَفلـَة بـِا ِلّيل

Miscellaneous

EnglishEgyptianExample
together
(people)
sawasawaa
سـَواَ
we will travel together
'ihna misafreen sawaiicHnaa misaafiryn sawaa
إحنا َ مـِسا َفـِرين سـَوا َ
together
(people and things)
maAa baADmaAa baAD
مـَع َ بـَعض
we will travel together
'ihna misafreen maAa baADiicHnaa misaafiryn maAa baAD
إحنا َ مـِسا َفـِرين مـَع َ بـَعض
alone
(people)
liwahdali-waHdao
لـِو َحد َة
I live alone
'ana saakin liwahdaaacnaa saakin li-waHdao
أنا َ سا َكـِن لـِو َحد َة
separatelykul wahid liwahduhkul waHid li-waHduh
كـُل و َحـِد لـِو َحد ُه
we will travel separately
'ihna misafreen kul wahid liwahduhiicHnaa misaafiryn kul waHid li-waHduh
إحنا َ مـِسا َفـِرين كـُل و َحـِد لـِو َحد ُه
wellkuwayiskuwayis
كـُو َيـِس
he sings very well
huwwa biyiGanni kuwayis 'awihuwwa biyiGanny kuwayis qawy
هـُوّ َ بـِيـِغـَنّي كـُو َيـِس قـَوي