Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| وحشتني كمان | wahashtini kaman | said to a man |
| وحشتيني كمان | wahashteeni kaman | said to a woman |
This is the typical reply when someone has just told you they miss you, confirming the feeling goes both ways.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally flips the structure of 'I miss you', it means closer to 'you have become missed to me too', using كمان, 'also, too', to echo the feeling back.
Which one should you use?
The ending changes depending on who you are replying to, -ني to a man and -يني to a woman, not based on your own gender.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This is an intimate, personal phrase, used with people you are close to.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The idiom وحشتني is distinctly Egyptian and is one of the dialect's best known emotional expressions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb agrees with the person being missed, not the speaker, which is a common point of confusion for learners.
How do you pronounce it?
Said 'wa-HASH-ti-ni', with the stress falling on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Learners often try to translate 'I miss you' word for word, Egyptian Arabic instead flips the grammar entirely around وحش, 'to become missed'.
When do people say it?
وحشتني is one of the most quoted lines in Egyptian songs and films about longing and separation.
Did you know?
- The verb وحش behind وحشتني literally means 'to become desolate, bleak', so the Egyptian way of saying 'I miss you' is closer to 'you have left me in a bleak state'.
Examples in context
- قالي وحشتيني، فقلتله وحشتني كمان.aalli wahashteeni, fa 'oltelo wahashtini kaman.He told me he misses me, so I told him I miss him too.
- وحشتني كمان، نتكلم بعدين؟wahashtini kaman, nitkallim ba'dein?I miss you too, shall we talk later?
- كل يوم بيقولي وحشتيني كمان.kol yom beyi'ollee wahashteeni kaman.Every day he tells me he misses me too.
Example conversation
Farida and her brother Tamer, who lives abroad, talk on a video call.
- Tamerوحشتوني كلكوا بجد.wahashtoni kolkoo bigad.I really miss all of you.
- Faridaوحشتني كمان، امتى هتيجي؟wahashtini kaman, emta hateegi?I miss you too, when are you coming?
- Tamerالصيف اللي جاي إن شاء الله.el-seif elli gay inshallah.Next summer, God willing.
- Faridaطيب احنا في انتظارك.tayyib ehna fi entezarak.Okay, we're waiting for you.
