Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بس | bas | |
| لكن | lakin | more formal |
لكن (lakin) is the more formal, written word, closer to Standard Arabic. In everyday speech, بس is used almost exclusively.
What does it mean word for word?
بس has no further breakdown, it is simply the everyday Egyptian word for 'but', and separately also means 'only' or 'enough' depending on context.
Which one should you use?
بس is the natural choice in any spoken sentence. لكن appears in writing, speeches or more careful, formal talk.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
بس is used at every level of spoken formality. لكن is reserved for writing or formal speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
بس does not change form and is placed the same way but is in English, between the two parts of the sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
بس is a short, simple word, said BAS with a clear final s.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Because بس also means 'only' or 'enough' in other contexts, context is needed to tell which meaning is intended, though this rarely causes real confusion in conversation.
Did you know?
- بس has two common everyday meanings in Egyptian Arabic, 'but' and 'enough' or 'only', and context alone tells them apart.
- Standard Arabic لكن is understood by every Egyptian but mostly appears in writing, speeches or news rather than casual talk.
Examples in context
- عايز أجي، بس مش هعرف.ayez agi, bas mesh ha'raf.I want to come, but I won't be able to.
- الأكل كويس، بس غالي شوية.el-akl kwayyes, bas ghali shwaya.The food is good, but a bit expensive.
- فهمت الكلام، لكن محتاج وقت أفكر.fehemt el-kalam, lakin mehtag wa't afakkar.I understood what was said, but I need time to think.
Example conversation
Rami tells his friend Dina why he can't come to the party.
- Ramiعايز أجي الحفلة، بس عندي شغل كتير.ayez agi el-hafla, bas andi shoghl keteer.I want to come to the party, but I have a lot of work.
- Dinaممكن تيجي بعد ما تخلص؟mumken teegi ba'd ma tekhallas?Can you come after you finish?
- Ramiممكن، بس هتأخر شوية.mumken, bas hat'akhar shwaya.Maybe, but I'll be a bit late.
- Dinaمفيش مشكلة، احنا هنفضل مستمرين.mafeesh mushkila, ehna hanefdal mostamerreen.No problem, we'll keep going.
