ماشي
mashi
In Egyptian Arabic, 'okay' is ماشي (mashi). If unsure, use ماشي. It is also called تمام (tamam).
Meaning: an agreement or acknowledgment (intj)
Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ماشي | mashi | |
| تمام | tamam | also common, 'fine, perfect' |
Just as common is تمام (tamam), 'fine' or 'perfect', used the same way to agree to something or accept a plan.
What does it mean word for word?
ماشي literally means 'walking' or 'going', used here to mean a plan is 'going ahead' or agreed. تمام means 'complete' or 'perfect'.
Which one should you use?
ماشي and تمام are largely interchangeable as 'okay' in Egyptian Arabic, with no strong difference in meaning or tone.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are casual but completely normal in everyday talk at any level of closeness.
How does it change in a sentence?
Neither word changes with gender or number, they stay the same regardless of who is speaking or agreeing.
How do you pronounce it?
ماشي is stressed on the first syllable, MA-shi, with a soft sh sound.
Did you know?
- ماشي literally means 'walking' or 'going', the same image behind English phrases like 'it's a go' for agreeing to a plan.
- تمام is used so broadly in Egypt that it can mean 'okay', 'fine', 'got it' and 'perfect', all depending on tone.
Examples in context
- ماشي، هشوفك بكرة.mashi, hashoofak bokra.Okay, I'll see you tomorrow.
- تمام، نتفق على كده.tamam, net'afe' ala keda.Okay, let's agree on that.
- هنخرج الساعة سبعة. ماشي.hankharag es-saa sab'a. mashi.We'll go out at seven. Okay.
Example conversation
Yousra and her friend Dina plan to meet after work.
- Yousraنتقابل بعد الشغل عند الكافيه؟net'abel ba'd esh-shoghl and el-cafe?Shall we meet after work at the cafe?
- Dinaماشي، الساعة كام؟mashi, es-saa kam?Okay, what time?
- Yousraسبعة ونص تمام؟sab'a w noss tamam?Seven thirty, okay?
- Dinaتمام، هكون هناك.tamam, hakoon henak.Okay, I'll be there.
