Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| إزيك | izzayak | to a male |
| إزيك | izzayek | to a female |
Asked to a female, it is written the same but said izzayek. Egyptians also say عامل إيه؟ (amel eh?), literally 'doing what', as a very common casual alternative.
What does it mean word for word?
إزيك comes from an old phrase roughly meaning 'how is your condition', shortened over time into a single everyday word.
Which one should you use?
إزيك and عامل إيه؟ are used interchangeably, with no real difference in warmth, though عامل إيه؟ can sound a touch more casual between close friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are used at every level of formality, from a quick hello between friends to a polite exchange with an elder.
How does it change in a sentence?
The final vowel changes with the gender of the person addressed, izzayak to a man and izzayek to a woman, spelled the same in Arabic script.
How do you pronounce it?
إزيك is said ez-ZAY-ak, with the stress on the middle syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Standard Arabic كيف حالك؟ is understood but sounds noticeably more formal and bookish than the natural Egyptian إزيك.
When do people say it?
The expected answer almost always includes الحمد لله, 'thank God', regardless of how someone actually feels, as a habitual part of the exchange.
Did you know?
- إزيك developed from an older expression about someone's condition, shortened over generations into the quick greeting heard across Egypt today.
- Almost every answer to إزيك includes الحمد لله, even when the news is not especially good, as a near-automatic habit of speech.
Examples in context
- إزيك يا كريم؟ عامل إيه؟izzayak ya Karim? amel eh?How are you, Karim? How's it going?
- إزيك يا ماما؟ وحشتيني.izzayek ya mama? wahashteeni.How are you, mom? I miss you.
- الحمد لله كويس، إزي العيلة؟el-hamdu lillah kwayyes, izzi el-ezba?I'm fine thank God, how's the family?
Example conversation
Mostafa greets his old friend Bassem on the street after a long time.
- Mostafaإزيك يا باسم؟ زمان!izzayak ya Bassem? zaman!How are you, Bassem? Long time!
- Bassemالحمد لله كويس، إزيك انت؟el-hamdu lillah kwayyes, izzayak ente?Fine thank God, how are you?
- Mostafaتمام، عامل إيه في الشغل؟tamam, amel eh fesh-shoghl?Good, how's work going?
- Bassemزحمة بس كويس، الحمد لله.zahma bas kwayyes, el-hamdu lillah.Busy but good, thank God.
