Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| عم | amm | father's brother, or a general respectful address to an older man |
| خال | khal | mother's brother |
An uncle on the mother's side is خال (khal). Egyptians also use عم loosely to address any older man politely, even a shopkeeper, doorman or taxi driver who is not actually related.
What does it mean word for word?
عم and خال mark which side of the family the uncle belongs to, a distinction English does not make with the single word 'uncle'.
Which one should you use?
Use عم for your father's brother and خال for your mother's brother. As a polite address to an unrelated man, عم is far more common than خال.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are warm, family terms. As an address to a stranger, عم is casual but respectful, similar to 'uncle' used informally in some English dialects.
How does it change in a sentence?
عم and خال do not change with the gender of the speaker, only with which side of the family the uncle is on.
How do you pronounce it?
عم starts with the Arabic letter ع, a deep throat sound, said with a short, firm vowel.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Mixing up عم and خال is a common slip for learners, since English uses one word, 'uncle', for both sides of the family.
When do people say it?
Calling an older man عم followed by his first name, such as عم سيد, is a common respectful way to address market vendors, doormen and drivers across Egypt.
Did you know?
- Egyptian Arabic always marks whether an uncle is on the mother's or father's side, a distinction English does not make with the single word 'uncle'.
- Addressing an older unrelated man as عم followed by his name is one of the most common forms of polite address heard in Egyptian markets and streets.
Examples in context
- عمي بيسكن في الجيزة.ammi biyeskon fil-giza.My uncle (father's brother) lives in Giza.
- خالي جاي يزورنا بكرة.khali gai yezoorna bokra.My uncle (mother's brother) is visiting us tomorrow.
- صباح الخير يا عم محمود.sabah el-kheir ya amm Mahmoud.Good morning, uncle Mahmoud.
Example conversation
Youssef asks his father Hany about visiting their uncle.
- Youssefهنروح عمي سيد إمتى؟hanrouh ammi Sayed emta?When are we going to uncle Sayed's?
- Hanyيوم الخميس إن شاء الله.yom el-khamees inshallah.On Thursday, God willing.
- Youssefوخالي كريم هيكون هناك؟w khali Karim hayekoon henak?Will uncle Karim be there too?
- Hanyلأ، هو مش في البلد دلوقتي.la, howwa mesh fil-balad dilwa'ti.No, he's not in the country right now.
