Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| اقعد | i'ood | to a man |
| اقعدي | i'oodi | to a woman |
اقعد also means 'stay' in many contexts, so it can mean both 'sit down' and 'stay a while' depending on the situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb comes from يقعد, 'to sit, to remain', a root different from the one used in Standard Arabic for sitting, جلس.
Which one should you use?
Egyptians rarely use اجلس in speech, it is reserved for formal writing or very old-fashioned phrasing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
اقعد is used in every setting, from inviting a guest to sit down politely to telling a child to stay seated.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The verb is used across Egypt and shared with several neighbouring dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine command adds an -i ending, اقعدي, and the plural is اقعدوا (i'oodu).
How do you pronounce it?
The ق is usually a glottal stop in Cairo, so اقعد sounds like 'i'ood' rather than the fuller 'iq'ud'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Shouting اقعد at someone can sound like a scolding command, adding من فضلك, 'please', softens it when inviting a guest.
When do people say it?
Hosts in Egypt often insist guests اقعد شوية كمان, 'stay a bit longer', even after they have already announced they are leaving.
Did you know?
- اقعد sharing the meaning 'stay' and 'sit' shows how Egyptian Arabic often folds related senses into a single everyday verb.
Examples in context
- اقعد هنا جنبي.i'ood hena ganbi.Sit here next to me.
- اقعدي، هجيبلك شاي.i'oodi, hagiblik shay.Sit down, I'll bring you tea.
- قعد يفكر طول الليل.i'ad yifakkar tool el-leil.He sat thinking all night.
Example conversation
Samir welcomes his friend Nabil into his living room.
- Samirاتفضل اقعد، البيت بيتك.itfaddal i'ood, el-beit beitak.Please sit, make yourself at home.
- Nabilشكرا، بس مش هقعد كتير.shukran, bas mesh ha'ood kiteer.Thanks, but I won't stay long.
- Samirاقعد شوية كمان، لسه بدري.i'ood shwaya kaman, lissa badri.Stay a bit longer, it's still early.
- Nabilطيب كاس شاي واحدة وأمشي.tayyib kas shay wahda w amshi.Okay, one cup of tea and I'll go.
