أهلا بيك
ahlan bīkto a man, Egyptian
In Egyptian Arabic you welcome a man with أهلا بيك (ahlan bīk) and a woman with أهلا بيكي (ahlan bīki). The warm general form is أهلا وسهلا (ahlan wi sahlan). It is also called نورت (nawwart).
Meaning: greeting for a guest (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Egyptian | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| أهلا بيك | ahlan bīk | to a man, Egyptian |
| أهلا بيكي | ahlan bīki | to a woman, Egyptian |
| أهلا وسهلا | ahlan wi sahlan | warm, general |
| نورت | nawwart | to a man, when he arrives, casual |
Say نورت (nawwart) to a man who has just arrived at your home or office, and نورتي (nawwarti) to a woman. It literally means "you lit up the place".
How does it change in a sentence?
To a group say أهلا بيكم (ahlan bīkum). The ending after بي- changes with the listener.
When do people say it?
The guest often answers بنورك (binūrak), "by your light", after نورت (nawwart).
Did you know?
- The pair أهلا وسهلا (ahlan wi sahlan) is understood across the whole Arab world, but the reply بنورك (binūrak) is typical of Egypt.
Examples in context
- أهلا بيك في بيتنا.ahlan bīk fi bētna.Welcome to our home.
- أهلا وسهلا، اتفضل.ahlan wi sahlan, itfaḍḍal.Welcome, please come in.
- نورتي البيت.nawwarti l-bēt.You light up the house.
Example conversation
Hala opens her door in Cairo for her friend Rania.
- Halaأهلا بيكي يا رانيا، نورتي.ahlan bīki yā Rānya, nawwarti.Welcome, Rania, you light up the place.
- Raniaبنورك يا هالة.binūrik yā Hāla.It is you who light it up, Hala.
- Halaاتفضلي، القهوة جاهزة.itfaḍḍali, el-ʾahwa gahza.Please come in, the coffee is ready.
