Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| زوجة | zoga | |
| مرات | mirat | used with a possessor, such as a name |
Egyptians also use مرات (mirat), but only attached to a name or another word, as in مرات أحمد, 'Ahmed's wife'. On its own with a possessive ending it becomes مراتي, 'my wife'.
What does it mean word for word?
زوجة comes from the same root as زوج, 'husband', both built on the idea of 'pairing'. مرات is a colloquial Egyptian form used specifically for talking about whose wife someone is.
Which one should you use?
زوجة works as a standalone word in any sentence. مرات cannot stand completely alone, it always points to whose wife is meant, through a name or a possessive ending.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both are normal in everyday speech. زوجة is slightly more neutral, while مرات and مراتي feel distinctly colloquial and warm.
How does it change in a sentence?
With a possessive ending, مرات becomes مراتي, 'my wife', or مراته, 'his wife'. زوجة follows the same pattern as زوجتي, 'my wife'.
How do you pronounce it?
زوجة is said ZOH-ga, with a hard Cairo-style g.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Using مرات completely alone, without a name or possessive ending, does not sound natural. زوجة is the safer standalone word.
When do people say it?
Egyptian men often refer to their wife in conversation as مراتي rather than زوجتي, while زوجة appears more in forms, articles and formal speech.
Did you know?
- زوجة and زوج share the same root for 'pairing', the same root behind the Arabic word for an even number.
- مرات cannot be used completely alone in a sentence, it always needs a name or a possessive ending attached, unlike the standalone زوجة.
Examples in context
- مراتي بتحب الطبخ كتير.mirati betehebb et-tabkh keteer.My wife loves cooking a lot.
- زوجة أخويا طبيبة أطفال.zogat akhuya tabeebat atfal.My brother's wife is a pediatrician.
- مرات سامي جاية معانا النهاردة.mirat Sami gaya ma'ana en-naharda.Sami's wife is coming with us today.
Example conversation
Hassan tells his friend Omar about his wife's new project.
- Hassanمراتي بدأت مشروع جديد.mirati badat mashroo' gedeed.My wife started a new project.
- Omarتمام، مشروع إيه بالتحديد؟tamam, mashroo' eh bet-tahdeed?Nice, what project exactly?
- Hassanمحل صغير لبيع الحلويات.mahall soghayyar le-bei' el-halaweyat.A small shop selling sweets.
- Omarربنا يوفقها، زوجتك شاطرة.rabbena yewaffa'ha, zogtak shatra.May God grant her success, your wife is clever.
