Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| استنى | estanna | to a male |
| استني | estanni | to a female |
Said to a female, it becomes estanni. For a group, it changes to استنوا (estannoo). A short, common version just alone is also استنى شوية, 'wait a bit'.
What does it mean word for word?
استنى comes from a verb pattern meaning 'to wait' or 'to expect', used as a direct command here.
Which one should you use?
There is no separate polite or casual version, استنى/استني is the normal everyday way to ask someone to wait, with politeness added through tone or by saying من فضلك.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The command form is casual by nature, suited to friends and family. With a stranger, Egyptians often soften it with لو سمحت، استنى شوية, 'please wait a bit'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending changes with the gender of the person addressed: estanna to a man, estanni to a woman and estannoo to a group.
How do you pronounce it?
استنى is stressed on the second syllable, es-TAN-na.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using the bare, blunt command استنى to a stranger without any softener can sound abrupt. Adding شوية or لو سمحت makes it friendlier.
Did you know?
- استنى and its forms are among the most frequently heard commands in Egyptian Arabic, used constantly in streets, shops and homes.
- Adding شوية, 'a little', after استنى softens the command and is almost automatic in polite everyday speech.
Examples in context
- استنى شوية، أنا جاي.estanna shwaya, ana gai.Wait a bit, I'm coming.
- استني هنا، هرجع بسرعة.estanni hena, haraga' be-sor'a.Wait here, I'll be back quickly.
- استنوا لحد ما أوصل.estannoo le-hadd ma awsal.Wait until I arrive.
Example conversation
Mariam asks her friend Sara to wait for her outside a shop.
- Mariamاستني شوية هنا، هروح أجيب الفلوس.estanni shwaya hena, harouh agib el-filoos.Wait here a bit, I'll go get the money.
- Saraتمام، هستناكي قدام المحل.tamam, hastannaki oddam el-mahall.Okay, I'll wait for you in front of the shop.
- Mariamهرجع بعد خمس دقايق بس.haraga' ba'd khamas da'ay' bas.I'll be back in just five minutes.
- Saraماشي، خد وقتك.mashi, khod wa'tak.Alright, take your time.
