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🇪🇬 Egyptian Arabic · Fluency Level 3

PART 1 · LESSON 2 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES Free

No Fuss

Grandma refuses a party for her ninetieth and gives in on one condition, the pastry is hers: saying someone's age, at ninety, and the wish for a hundred that goes with every birthday.

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Lesson 2 · No Fuss

Egyptian Arabic · 30 minutes

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THE STORY

Grandma's two rooms on the courtyard side of the old house in al-Darb al-Ahmar, an afternoon. Grandma speaks plainly to everyone and calls Leo my son; Leo says the polite you to her; Madame Nadia is her daughter-in-law.

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حَفْلَة إِيه, يَا ابْنِي?7AF-la eeh ya AB-ni?What party, my son?
التِّسْعِين رَقَم, مِش عِيد.it-tis-3EEN RA-'am mish 3eed.Ninety is a number, not a holiday.
حَضْرِتِك عَنْدِك تِسْعِين سَنَة.7ad-RI-tik 3AN-dik tis-3EEN SA-na.You are ninety years old.
فِي سِنّ التِّسْعِين.fi sinn it-tis-3EENat the age of ninety
فِي سِنّ التِّسْعِين, الوَاحِد لُه سُفْرَة.fi sinn it-tis-3EEN il-WAA-7id lu SUF-ra.At ninety, a person gets a table.
فِي سِنّ التِّسْعِين, الوَاحِد يِنَام.fi sinn it-tis-3EEN il-WAA-7id yi-NAAM.At ninety, a person sleeps.
مَحْمُود هَيِجِيب القَرَايِب مِن البَلَد.ma7-MOOD ha-yi-GEEB il-'a-RAA-yib min il-BA-lad.Mahmoud is fetching the relatives from the village.
كُلّهُم هَيِقُولُوا عُقْبَال المِيَّة.KULL-hum ha-yi-'OO-lu 3u'-BAAL il-MIY-ya.They'll all say: may you reach a hundred.
بَسّ الفَطِيرَة أَنَا هَاعْمِلْهَا.bass il-fa-TEE-ra A-na ha3-MIL-ha.But the pastry I make myself.
مَحَدِّش شَكّ فِي كِدَه.ma-7AD-dish shakk fi KI-da.Nobody doubted that.