Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بوسة | bosa | |
| يبوس | yibos | verb, 'to kiss', he kisses |
The related verb 'to kiss' is يبوس (yibos) for a man doing the kissing, or تبوس (tibos) for a woman. Egyptians say بوسة for a peck on the cheek between family and friends just as often as for a romantic kiss.
What does it mean word for word?
بوسة and يبوس come from the same colloquial Egyptian root for kissing, distinct from the more formal Standard Arabic word قبلة.
Which one should you use?
بوسة is the everyday noun used in all contexts, from a child's goodnight kiss to a romantic one. قبلة sounds more literary and is rarely used in speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
بوسة is casual and warm, used at every level of family and friendship.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb يبوس changes with the subject: يبوس he kisses, تبوس she kisses, باسني he kissed me.
How do you pronounce it?
بوسة is stressed on the first syllable, BO-sa, with a long vowel.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using the Standard Arabic قبلة in casual conversation about a family kiss can sound oddly formal next to the natural بوسة.
When do people say it?
Kissing on both cheeks as a greeting between friends and family of the same gender is extremely common across Egypt, separate from romantic kissing.
Did you know?
- Kissing an elder's hand as a sign of respect, often a grandparent's, remains a common gesture among children in many Egyptian families.
- The Standard Arabic word قبلة for 'kiss' is almost never used in Egyptian speech, where بوسة is the word people actually say.
Examples in context
- بابا باسني قبل النوم.baba basni abl en-nom.Dad kissed me before bed.
- ماما بتحب تبوس إيدي جدو.mama betehebb tebos eed gedo.Mom likes to kiss grandpa's hand.
- بوسة واحدة وأنا رايح.bosa wahda w ana rayeh.One kiss and I'm off.
Example conversation
Noha says goodbye to her little daughter Lina before leaving for work.
- Nohaهاتي لي بوسة قبل ما أمشي.hati li bosa abl ma amshi.Give me a kiss before I go.
- Linaخدي، بوسة كبيرة.khadi, bosa kebeera.Here, a big kiss.
- Nohaمتشكرة يا حبيبتي.mitshakkira ya habibti.Thank you, my love.
- Linaباي يا ماما، ارجعي بسرعة.bye ya mama, erga'i be-sor'a.Bye mom, come back soon.
