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🇪🇬 Egyptian Arabic · Fluency Level 1

PART 1 · LESSON 3 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

Shade That Breathes

On air, Dalia asks what a lattice window is for, in plain Egyptian, and Leo explains it simply: imagine, that is, meaning, as we say, in short, and the main thing is said.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

The studio of a Cairo morning programme, on air; Leo's slot is about old houses, and today's question is the wooden lattice window. Dalia and Leo say the polite you to each other on air.

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Words and phrases

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المَشْرَبِيَّة بِتِعْمِل إِيه, بِالبَلَدِي?il-mash-ra-BIY-ya bi-TI3-mil eeh bil-BA-la-di?What does the lattice window do, in plain Egyptian?
تَخَيَّلُوا أُوضَة مِن غِير تَكْيِيف.ta-khay-YA-lu OO-da min gheer tak-YEEF.Imagine a room with no air conditioning.
مِش لَازِم أَتْخَيَّل, دِي شَقَّة تِيتَا.mish LAA-zim at-KHAY-yal di SHA'-'a TEE-ta.I don't have to imagine; that's my grandma's flat.
يَعْنِي ظِلّ بِيِتْنَفِّس.YA3-ni zill bi-yit-NAF-fis.That is, shade that breathes.
بِمَعْنَى, الخَشَب بِيِشْتَغَل تَكْيِيف.bi-MA3-na il-KHA-shab bi-yish-TA-ghal tak-YEEF.Meaning, the wood works as air conditioning.
زَيّ مَا نْقُول, زَمَان كَانُوا فَاهْمِين.zayy ma n'ool za-MAAN KAA-nu fah-MEEN.As we say, back then they understood.
طَيِّب, بِاخْتِصَار?TAY-yib bikh-ti-SAAR?All right, in short?
مَتْشِيلُوهَاش, صَلَّحُوهَا.mat-she-lo-HAASH sal-la-7OO-ha.Don't take it down, fix it.
المُهِمّ اِتْقَال. أُغْنِيَّة, وِنِرْجَع.il-mu-HIMM it-'AAL ugh-NIY-ya wi-NIR-ga3.The main thing is said. A song, and we come back.