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🇪🇬 Egyptian Arabic · Fluency Level 1

PART 2 · LESSON 18 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

Once a man

Zizo tells a joke about a doorman who knows everything: once a man came home at two, and then, the doorman said to him your wife came in at one, and what did the man say, the man went and said to him how do you know, he got up and said to him I know everything, the man said to him then who ate my lunch, the doorman said to him your wife, at one, the punchline last, always.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

Mr. Sabry's cafe, the backgammon put away, Zizo with a joke. Zizo, Karim and Leo are friends of the same age and speak plainly to each other.

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Words and phrases

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مَرَّة وَاحِدMAR-ra WAA-7idonce a man, the words every Egyptian joke starts with
مَرَّة وَاحِد رِجِع البِيت السَّاعَة اِتْنِين.MAR-ra WAA-7id RI-gi3 il-BEET is-SAA-3a it-NEEN.Once a man came home at two.
وِبَعْدِين, يَا زِيزُو?wi-ba3-DEEN ya ZEE-zu?And then, Zizo?
البَوَّاب قَالُّه, مِرَاتَك دَخَلِت السَّاعَة وَاحْدَة.il-baw-WAAB 'AL-lu mi-RAA-tak DA-kha-lit is-SAA-3a WA7-da.The doorman said to him, your wife came in at one.
وِالرَّاجِل قَال إِيه?wir-RAA-gil 'al eeh?And what did the man say?
الرَّاجِل رَاح قَالُّه, عِرِفْت إِزَّاي?ir-RAA-gil raa7 'AL-lu 3i-RIFT iz-ZAAY?The man went and said to him, how do you know?
قَام قَالُّه, عَارِف كُلّ حَاجَة.'aam 'AL-lu 3AA-rif kull 7AA-ga.He got up and said to him, I know everything.
قَالُّه, أُمَّال مِين أَكَل غَدَايَا?'AL-lu um-MAAL meen A-kal gha-DAA-ya?He said to him, then who ate my lunch?
وِالبَوَّاب قَالُّه, مِرَاتَك, السَّاعَة وَاحْدَة!wil-baw-WAAB 'AL-lu mi-RAA-tak is-SAA-3a WA7-da!And the doorman said to him, your wife, at one!
القَفْشَة فِي الآخِر, دَايْماً.il-'AF-sha fi il-'AA-khir DAY-man.The punchline last, always.