Ways to say it
| Egyptian Arabic | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ست | sett | |
| مرأة | imraa | more formal |
ست is also used respectfully as a title, like 'Mrs.' or 'madam', in front of a name, and ست البيت is a common way to say 'housewife'.
What does it mean word for word?
ست is a distinctly Egyptian word, while مرأة stays closer to the Standard Arabic امرأة.
Which one should you use?
ست is used constantly in daily speech. مرأة appears more in formal or written Arabic, such as a legal document.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ست is respectful and can be used in any setting, not only casual ones.
Is it said differently in some regions?
It is standard and widely used across Egypt.
How does it change in a sentence?
ست is feminine, and its plural is ستات (sittat), used for 'women' in general.
How do you pronounce it?
Said 'sett', with a short, crisp vowel.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Some casual or rural speech also uses حرمة (harma) for 'woman', but it can sound blunt or less polite in city conversation, ست is the safer everyday choice.
When do people say it?
Addressing an older or respected woman as الست before her name is a common sign of politeness in Egypt.
Did you know?
- ست as a polite title before a name, as in الست فاطمة, functions much like 'Mrs.' in English and is common in both speech and formal address.
Examples in context
- الست دي بتبيع خضار في السوق.el-sett di betbee' khodar fi el-soo'.This woman sells vegetables at the market.
- أمي ست بيت وشغالة كمان.ommi sett beit w shaghala kaman.My mother is a housewife and also works.
- الستات دول جاراتنا من زمان.el-sittat dol garatna min zaman.These women have been our neighbours for a long time.
Example conversation
Two neighbours, Amal and Hanan, chat about a new family on their street.
- Amalشوفتي الست الجديدة في العمارة؟shoftee el-sett el-gedeeda fi el-amara?Have you seen the new woman in the building?
- Hananأه، ست محترمة جدا وهادية.aah, sett mohtarama giddan w hadya.Yes, a very respectable and quiet woman.
- Amalعندها عيال ولا لسه؟andaha ayyal wala lissa?Does she have kids or not yet?
- Hananعندها بنت صغيرة، شوفتها مرة.andaha bint soghayyara, shoftaha marra.She has a little girl, I saw her once.
