Egyptian Arabic facts for kids

Egyptian Arabic (also called Maṣrī, which means "Egyptian") is a type of the Arabic language. It belongs to the Semitic branch of the large Afro-Asiatic language family.

This language grew in Egypt, especially around the Nile Delta and the capital city, Cairo. It started when people speaking Arabic arrived in Egypt during the Muslim conquest of Egypt in the 600s AD. Over time, Egyptian Arabic also got words and influences from older languages spoken in Egypt, like Coptic and Ancient Egyptian. It also borrowed words from other languages, such as Turkish.

What is Egyptian Arabic?

Egyptian Arabic is the everyday language spoken by most people in Egypt. It's different from the formal Arabic used in books or news. Think of it like how English spoken in the United States is different from English spoken in the United Kingdom. They are both English, but they have their own unique sounds and words.

Where is it Spoken?

More than 76 million people in Egypt speak Masri every day. It's the most common language you'll hear in homes, on the streets, and in movies and TV shows in Egypt.

Who Can Understand It?

Because Egyptian movies and TV shows are popular, many people in the Middle East can understand Masri. This makes it one of the most widely understood types of Arabic in the region.

Language Family

Egyptian Arabic is part of the Afro-Asiatic language family. This is a huge group of languages spoken across North Africa and the Middle East.

Semitic Languages

Within the Afro-Asiatic family, Egyptian Arabic is in the Semitic branch. Other famous Semitic languages include Hebrew and Aramaic. All these languages share some common roots and features.

Arabic Languages

Egyptian Arabic is one of many types of Arabic. While they all come from the same ancient language, they have changed over hundreds of years. This means that someone from Egypt might speak a bit differently than someone from Saudi Arabia or Morocco.

History and Development

The story of Egyptian Arabic began when Arabic speakers came to Egypt. Before that, people in Egypt spoke Coptic and Ancient Egyptian.

Influences on Masri

• Old Egyptian Languages: Words and grammar from Coptic and Ancient Egyptian mixed into the new Arabic spoken in Egypt.
• Turkish Language: Because Egypt was once part of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish also influenced Egyptian Arabic, adding some new words.

Official Recognition

The Egyptian government does not officially recognize Egyptian Arabic as a separate language. Instead, they consider it a dialect, or a specific way of speaking, of the main Arabic language.