Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| شكرا | shukran | |
| متشكر | mitshakkir | said by a male |
| متشكرة | mitshakkira | said by a female |
| شكرا جدا | shukran gedan | very much |
| تسلم ايدك | teslam eedak | for food or work, to a male |
Egyptians often add how thankful they personally feel with متشكر (mitshakkir) if the speaker is a man or متشكرة (mitshakkira) if a woman. For 'thank you very much', say شكرا جدا (shukran gedan). After a meal or work done for you, تسلم ايدك (teslam eedak), 'may your hand stay safe', is a warm and specific thanks.
What does it mean word for word?
شكرا comes from the Arabic root for gratitude. متشكر uses the same root in a verb form meaning 'I am thankful'. تسلم means 'may it stay safe' and ايدك means 'your hand', praising the hand that cooked or built something.
Which one should you use?
شكرا fits any situation, from a cashier to a close friend. تسلم ايدك is specific to food, craftsmanship or physical effort, and sounds much warmer than a plain شكرا in those moments.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
شكرا works at every level of formality. متشكر/متشكرة sounds a touch more sincere and personal, useful when someone has gone out of their way for you.
How does it change in a sentence?
متشكر changes with the speaker's own gender, unlike شكرا which never changes. تسلم ايدك changes with the person thanked, becoming تسلم ايديك (teslam edeiki) to a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
Egyptians often stretch the last syllable of شكرا when they are especially grateful, saying it almost like 'shukraaan' with rising emphasis.
What mistakes should you avoid?
تسلم ايدك should not be used for a favour that involved no physical work, such as someone giving directions. Save it for cooking, building or hands-on help.
When do people say it?
Saying تسلم ايدك to the cook at the end of a meal is close to a social rule in Egyptian homes, and skipping it can come across as careless.
Did you know?
- تسلم ايدك, literally 'may your hand stay safe', is said to a cook in almost every Egyptian household at the end of a meal.
- The reply العفو (el-afw), 'you're welcome', comes from the same root as the Arabic word for 'forgiveness'.
Examples in context
- شكرا جدا على المساعدة.shukran gedan ala el-musa'ada.Thank you very much for the help.
- تسلم ايدك، الأكل كان جامد.teslam eedak, el-akl kan gamed.Thank you, the food was amazing.
- متشكرة جدا، ربنا يخليك.mitshakkira gedan, rabbena yekhalleek.Thank you so much, God keep you.
Example conversation
Laila thanks her uncle Adel after he fixes her laptop.
- Lailaمتشكرة جدا يا عمي عادل.mitshakkira gedan ya ammi Adel.Thank you so much, uncle Adel.
- Adelالعفو، مفيش مشكلة.el-afw, mafeesh mushkila.You're welcome, no problem.
- Lailaتسلم ايدك، كان خربان خالص.teslam eedak, kan kharban khales.Thank you, it was completely broken.
- Adelده واجبي.da wagebi.That's my duty.
