Arabic for English speakers Hospital · Lesson 2

Asking "What do you do for work?"

Egyptian Arabic для 'what do you do for work?' — Active participle 'working' masculine/feminine.

Conversation

  1. Lindo Lindo

    صباح الخير يا شيلادونا

    Saba7 el khair ya Shelladonna

    Good morning, Shelladonna!

    Tip: 1) The "7" is used to represent the Arabic letter ⟨ح⟩ (ḥah). ح is different than the "H", it’s stronger and raspier. It’s made at the top of the throat, right behind the mouth. It sounds like you’re trying to breath out while being strangled. 2) The response to "Saba7 el khair" could be "Saba7 el khair" back

  2. Shelladonna Shelladonna

    صباح النور يا ليندو. أنت شغال إيه؟

    Saba7 el nour ya Lindo. Inta shaghal eh?

    Good morning, Lindo! What do you do for a living?

  3. Lindo Lindo

    أنا شغال ممرض. وإنتي شغالة إيه يا شيلادونا؟

    Ana shaghal mumarred. We enti shaghala eh ya Shelladonna?

    I work as a nurse. And what do you do for work Shelladonna?

  4. Shelladonna Shelladonna

    أنا مش شغالة الأيام دي

    Ana mish shaghala el ayyam di

    I'm not working these days

    Tip: Mish is "not"

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do you ask 'what do you do for work?' in Egyptian Arabic?

إنت بتشتغل إيه؟ (m) / إنتي بتشتغلي إيه؟ (f). شتغل = work (verb).

What's the active participle for 'working'?

شغال (shaghal — working, m), شغالة (shaghala — f). أنا شغال في + place = 'I work at ...'.

Egyptian Arabic для morning greetings?

صباح الخير (sabah el khair — good morning). Response: صباح النور (sabah el noor).

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Arabic lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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