Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| يلا بسرعة | yalla bisur'a | |
| بسرعة | bisur'a | informal |
بسرعة alone, 'quickly', works as a shorter version of the same push. Both are said to someone who is taking too long to get moving.
What does it mean word for word?
يلا is the all-purpose Egyptian word for 'come on' or 'let's go', and بسرعة means 'with speed', from سرعة, 'speed'.
Which one should you use?
يلا بسرعة carries more urgency than يلا alone, which can simply mean 'come on' without any rush implied.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are casual, used with family, friends and children, not in formal requests.
Is it said differently in some regions?
يلا is used across Egypt and much of the Arab world, though it is especially associated with Egyptian media.
How does it change in a sentence?
Neither phrase changes for gender or number, they are used exactly the same way with anyone.
How do you pronounce it?
يلا is said 'yalla', with stress on the first syllable, and بسرعة drops the Standard Arabic final vowel, sounding like 'bisur'a' rather than 'bisur'atan'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Saying استعجل, the more literary verb for 'hurry', sounds stiff, Egyptians almost always reach for يلا instead.
When do people say it?
يلا is said constantly in Egyptian daily life, well beyond hurrying someone, it also means 'let's go' or simply 'okay, moving on'.
Did you know?
- يلا most likely developed from the phrase يا الله, 'oh God', shortened over time into a word that now simply means 'come on' or 'let's go'.
Examples in context
- يلا بسرعة، الأتوبيس جاي.yalla bisur'a, el-otobees gay.Hurry up, the bus is coming.
- بسرعة، احنا هنتأخر.bisur'a, ehna hanet'akhar.Quickly, we'll be late.
- يلا يا جدعان، بسرعة!yalla ya god'an, bisur'a!Come on guys, hurry up!
Example conversation
Ahmed urges his younger brother Sherif to leave for school on time.
- Ahmedيلا بسرعة، الباب هيقفل.yalla bisur'a, el-bab hayei'fil.Hurry up, the gate will close.
- Sherifلحظة، بلبس جزمتي.lahza, balbis gazmiti.One second, I'm putting on my shoes.
- Ahmedبسرعة يعني، مش لحظة ولحظة.bisur'a ya'ni, mesh lahza w lahza.I mean quickly, not one second after another.
- Sherifخلاص جاهز، يلا بينا.khalas gahiz, yalla beena.Okay I'm ready, let's go.
