بيت
beit
In Egyptian Arabic, 'house' is بيت (beit).
بيت means both the physical building and 'home' in the sense of where you belong, as in ارجع بيتك, 'go home'.
Meaning: a home or dwelling (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is shared with Standard Arabic بيت, with Egyptian speech simply shortening the vowel slightly.
Which one should you use?
There is no separate word needed for 'home' versus 'house', بيت covers both senses the way English sometimes splits them.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word is used in every register, from casual chat to formal writing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
It is standard across Egypt and the wider Arab world.
How does it change in a sentence?
بيت is masculine, and its plural is بيوت (buyoot).
How do you pronounce it?
Said 'beit', rhyming with the English word 'bite'.
When do people say it?
Hospitality runs deep in Egyptian homes, a guest is almost always offered a drink before any conversation starts.
Did you know?
- The traditional Egyptian courtyard house, built around an open-air space, was designed for ventilation long before electric cooling existed.
Examples in context
- البيت ده قديم بس جميل.el-beit da adeem bas gameel.This house is old but beautiful.
- هو لسه في البيت؟howa lissa fi el-beit?Is he still at home?
- عندنا بيت صغير في الإسكندرية.andena beit soghayyar fi el-eskendereyya.We have a small house in Alexandria.
Example conversation
Hazem invites his friend Nader to visit his new house.
- Hazemتعالى شوف البيت الجديد.ta'ala shoof el-beit el-gedeed.Come see the new house.
- Naderفي أي منطقة البيت؟fi ay manti'a el-beit?Which area is the house in?
- Hazemقريب من المحطة، عشر دقايق بس.areeb min el-mahatta, ashar da'aye' bas.Close to the station, just ten minutes.
- Naderتمام، أجيلك يوم الجمعة.tamam, agilak yom el-gom'a.Ok, I'll come on Friday.
