Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بتعمل إيه؟ | beta'mel eih? | to a man |
| بتعملي إيه؟ | beta'mili eih? | to a woman |
This is asked about a real, ongoing activity, such as calling someone and wanting to know what they are busy with.
What does it mean word for word?
بتعمل is the present-tense verb 'you do/make' with the habitual prefix ب-, and إيه is 'what', so the phrase literally asks 'you-are-doing what'.
Which one should you use?
This is different from عامل إيه؟, which despite looking similar is actually the common greeting 'how are you doing', not a question about an activity.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase is neutral, fine for friends, family or coworkers, though tone of voice can make it sound curious or suspicious.
Is it said differently in some regions?
It is used the same way throughout Egypt.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ending changes for gender, dropping the final ل sound slightly before adding ي for a woman: بتعملي.
How do you pronounce it?
بتعمل is said quickly as 'bet'amel', with the first vowel often barely pronounced.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Confusing بتعمل إيه with عامل إيه is one of the most common slips learners make, since the second simply means 'how are you'.
Did you know?
- The present-tense prefix ب- that gives بتعمل its meaning does not exist in Modern Standard Arabic, which marks ongoing action differently.
Examples in context
- بتعملي إيه في الفراغ بتاعك؟beta'mili eih fi el-faragh betaak?What do you do in your free time?
- كان بيعمل إيه قبل ما يتصل؟kaan beya'mel eih 'abl ma yettesil?What was he doing before he called?
Example conversation
Sara calls her friend Youssef late in the evening.
- Saraألو، بتعمل إيه دلوقتي؟allo, beta'mel eih dilwa'ti?Hello, what are you doing right now?
- Youssefقاعد باتفرج على فيلم، وانتي؟ha'ed batfarrag ala film, w inti?I'm watching a movie, and you?
- Saraلسه راجعة من الشغل.lissa raga a min el-shoghl.I'm just back from work.
- Youssefتعبانة؟ خدي راحتك بقى.ta'bana? khodi rahtik ba'a.Tired? Get some rest then.
