جسم
gism
In Egyptian Arabic, 'body' is جسم (gism).
جسم is used for the physical body in health, fitness and everyday descriptions, exactly like English 'body'.
Meaning: the human body (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is shared closely with Standard Arabic جسم, with the Egyptian pronunciation shift from j to g.
Which one should you use?
There is no separate casual form, جسم is the everyday word used in every context.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
It is used in all registers, from a doctor's advice to casual talk about exercise.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word is standard across Egypt.
How does it change in a sentence?
جسم is masculine, and its plural is أجسام (agsam).
How do you pronounce it?
The ج is pronounced as a hard g in Cairo, so جسم sounds like 'gism' rather than the Standard Arabic 'jism'.
Did you know?
- The j-to-g pronunciation shift heard in جسم is one of the clearest sound markers that sets Cairo speech apart from Standard Arabic and many other dialects.
Examples in context
- جسمي تعبان من الشغل.gismi ta'ban min el-shoghl.My body is tired from work.
- لازم تحافظ على جسمك.lazim tehafiz ala gismak.You must take care of your body.
- الرياضة كويسة للجسم والنفس.el-reyada kwayyesa lel-gism w el-nafs.Exercise is good for the body and the mind.
Example conversation
A trainer named Hossam advises his client Mona at the gym.
- Monaجسمي بيألمني بعد التمرين.gismi beyi'limni ba'd el-tamreen.My body hurts after the workout.
- Hossamطبيعي، الجسم محتاج يرتاح شوية.tabee'i, el-gism mehtag yerta' shwaya.That's normal, the body needs to rest a bit.
- Monaكام يوم أستريح قبل ما أرجع؟kam yom astareyyah 'abl ma argaa'?How many days should I rest before coming back?
- Hossamيومين يكفوا، وكلي كويس كمان.yomein yikfu, w kuli kwayyes kaman.Two days is enough, and eat well too.
