Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اسمع | isma' | to a man |
| اسمعي | isma'i | to a woman |
اسمع is used to call for attention before saying something important, similar to starting a sentence in English with 'listen,'.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb comes from يسمع, 'to hear, to listen', shared closely with Standard Arabic.
Which one should you use?
اسمع alone draws attention generally. اسمعني كويس, 'listen to me well', adds emphasis for something serious.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The command is direct and casual, best used with people you know well, adding لو سمحت, 'please', softens it with others.
Is it said differently in some regions?
It is standard across Egypt.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine command adds an -i ending, اسمعي, and the plural is اسمعوا (isma'u).
How do you pronounce it?
The ع in the middle is a throaty sound with no real English equivalent, made by tightening the throat.
When do people say it?
اسمع بقى is a very common way Egyptians open a sentence when about to share advice or a firm opinion.
Did you know?
- Egyptian Arabic uses the same verb root سمع for both 'to hear' and 'to listen', letting context decide which meaning applies.
Examples in context
- اسمع، الموضوع مش بسيط.isma', el-mawdoo' mesh baseet.Listen, the matter isn't simple.
- اسمعي كويس قبل ما تردي.isma'i kwayyes 'abl ma teraddi.Listen well before you reply.
- ما بسمعش حاجة من هنا.ma basma'sh haga min hena.I can't hear anything from here.
Example conversation
Older brother Waleed wants to give his younger sister Dunia some advice.
- Waleedاسمعي، أنا عايز أقولك حاجة.isma'i, ana ayez a'ollik haga.Listen, I want to tell you something.
- Duniaقول، أنا سامعاك.'ool, ana sam'aak.Say it, I'm listening.
- Waleedفكري كويس قبل ما تاخدي القرار ده.fakkari kwayyes 'abl ma takhdi el-'arar da.Think well before you make this decision.
- Duniaماشي، هاخد وقتي وأفكر.mashi, hakhod wa'ti w afakkar.Ok, I'll take my time and think.
