بجد
bigad
In Egyptian Arabic, 'really' as in 'really?' is بجد (bigad). If unsure, use بجد. It is also called جد (gad).
Meaning: expressing surprise or seeking confirmation (adv)
Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بجد | bigad | |
| جد | gad | shorter, informal |
بجد؟ is said on its own as a question of surprise, or placed in a sentence to mean 'seriously, truly', as in بحبك بجد, 'I really love you'.
What does it mean word for word?
بجد combines ب-, 'with', and جد, 'seriousness', so it literally means 'with seriousness'.
Which one should you use?
بجد and the shorter جد mean the same thing, بجد is simply more common and slightly clearer on its own.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are casual, used constantly in daily conversation among friends and family.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word is used across Egypt in this same form.
How does it change in a sentence?
بجد does not change form, it can open, close or sit in the middle of a sentence.
How do you pronounce it?
Said 'bi-GAD', with stress on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
Egyptians often repeat بجد؟! with rising intonation several times when genuinely surprised by news.
Did you know?
- بجد also appears as a standalone exclamation of disbelief, much the way English speakers use just the word 'seriously'.
Examples in context
- بجد؟ ده خبر كويس جدا.bigad? da khabar kwayyes giddan.Really? That's very good news.
- أنا بحبك بجد.ana baheb-ak bigad.I really love you.
- هو جد مش هيجي؟howa gad mesh hayegi?Is he really not coming?
Example conversation
Tamer tells his friend Rana some unexpected news.
- Tamerاتجوزت الشهر اللي فات.etgawwezt el-shahr elli fat.I got married last month.
- Ranaبجد؟! ليه ماقلتليش؟bigad?! leih ma'oltelish?Really?! Why didn't you tell me?
- Tamerكانت حفلة صغيرة بجد، العيلة بس.kanet hafla soghayyara bigad, el-ayla bas.It was really a small party, just the family.
- Ranaمبروك بجد، فرحانة ليك.mabrook bigad, farhana leek.Really congratulations, I'm happy for you.
