الكون
el-kawneveryday, Egyptian
In Egyptian Arabic "universe" is الكون (el-kawn). The word is the same as in Standard Arabic. It is also called الفضاء (el-faḍa).
Meaning: universe (noun)
Ways to say it
| Egyptian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| الكون | el-kawn | everyday, Egyptian |
| الفضاء | el-faḍa | space |
It is used when talking about the cosmos, science or big ideas, for example الكون واسع (el-kawn wāsiʿ), "the universe is vast".
Which one should you use?
الفضاء (el-faḍa) means "space" and is what Egyptians say for outer space and astronauts, as in رائد فضاء (rāʾid faḍa).
How do you pronounce it?
The vowel in كون is a clear "aw", close to "kawn".
Did you know?
- The word كون (kawn) comes from the Arabic verb كان (kān), "to be", so the universe is literally "that which exists".
Examples in context
- الكون واسع قوي.el-kawn wāsiʿ ʾawi.The universe is very vast.
- بحب أقرا عن الكون.baḥibb aʾra ʿan el-kawn.I like reading about the universe.
- مين خلق الكون؟mīn khalaʾ el-kawn?Who created the universe?
Example conversation
Father Samir looks at the night sky with his son Adam in Cairo.
- Adamبابا، الكون كبير قد إيه؟baba, el-kawn kibīr ʾadd ēh?Dad, how big is the universe?
- Samirكبير قوي، محدش يعرف حدوده.kibīr ʾawi, maḥadd yiʿraf ḥudūdu.Very big, nobody knows its limits.
- Adamعايز أبقى عالم فضاء.ʿāyiz abʾa ʿālim faḍa.I want to be a space scientist.
