Eating out in Cairo runs on maybe twenty lines. You ask for the menu, you order, you check whether something's fresh or hot, you ask what you owe. Here they are in the order you'll need them, each one voiced in Cairene Egyptian and checked by a speaker.
Sitting down
A (مَطْعَم) is a restaurant. A is both coffee and the café that serves it, so context tells you which.
The waiter is the (جَارْسُون).
- The waiter is in the restaurant.
To call him over, you don't use the word. You say , excuse me, and then ask. If you've already learned ya , keep it for taxis. It's the title for a taxi driver.
First thing to ask for:
- Could I have the menu, please?
makes it a request. (مِنْيُو) is the menu. If the person serving you is a woman, change law sama7t to .
What the waiter will ask you
You'll get a question back. Learn to recognise it, since it tells you it's your turn.
- What would you like to order? (to a man)
In someone's home the host asks about drinks the same way:
- What would you like to drink? Tea or coffee? (to a man)
- Would you like a hot drink? (to a woman)
is what, and it sits at the end. walla is or.
Drinks
(شَاي) is tea. 'ahwa is coffee. If you want either one plain, ask for it without sugar:
- Coffee without sugar, thanks.
- Tea without sugar, please.
- Regular tea, please. (to a woman)
Hot day? Ask for something cold. is a cold drink, a hot one.
- No, something cold, please. (to a man)
The juice stand is where you'll practise sizes. is large and is medium. is ice.
- I'd like a lemon juice with ice. (said by a man)
- Large or medium?
- Medium, no ice.
See how min gheer works for anything you want left out? Sugar, ice, mustard.
Food
Plenty of menu words are borrowed and easy to spot: sandawitsh, hamborgar, 'eskalob. A few dishes and how to order them:
- Grilled chicken and a green salad.
- I'd like the breaded veal escalope. (said by a man)
- I'd like a plain sandwich and chips. (said by a woman)
- A sausage sandwich, please. (to a man)
- A cheeseburger, no mustard.
Those 3aayez and 3ayza lines change with who's speaking. A man says 3aayez, a woman 3ayza. Our guide to 3aayez covers the rest.
Before you commit, ask. A raised voice at the end turns any of these into a question:
- Is there a green salad?
- Is the fried fish fillet fresh?
- Are the chips hot?
And when it's good, say so. covers nice, sweet and tasty:
- The grilled chicken is good here.
- This salad is really good.
One more you'll want at some point in the meal:
- Where's the bathroom, please? (to a man)
Paying
(بِكَام) asks the price of one thing. The bill is el- (حِسَاب), and you ask how much it comes to with kaam:
- How much is the large glass?
- How much is the bill, Hassan?
- The bill is fifty pounds.
Paying with a big note? Ask for , small change. The change you get back is el-.
- Here you are, a hundred pounds. Have you got change? (to a man)
- Is there change? Yes, ten pounds.
Then it's Thanks, goodbye.
Common questions
How do you ask for the menu in Egyptian Arabic? momken el-minyu law sama7t? means could I have the menu, please. Say law sama7ti if you're asking a woman.
How do you ask for the bill in Egypt? el-7isaab kaam? asks how much the bill is. For the price of one item, use bikaam: el-kobbaaya el-kibeera bikaam? is how much is the large glass?
How do you order coffee without sugar in Egyptian Arabic? Say 'ahwa min gheer sukkar. The same works for tea: shaay min gheer sukkar, law sama7t.
What's the Egyptian word for waiter? garsoon. To get his attention you don't need the word, though. law sama7t, excuse me, is enough.