You won't hear your own name much in Cairo. Which word you get instead depends on who's talking and how old you look. And sometimes on whether they want something from you.
From everyone
is literally "my love". In practice it's what the taxi driver says when you hand him the fare. To a woman it's . The course has it in a greeting in week one:
- Hi, my dear, how are you?
ya basha is next. basha is pasha, the old Ottoman title, and it's now what a waiter calls any man he's serving. It costs nothing and it's a bit flattering. Say it back to the waiter.
For the man with the skill
ya rayyis means chief. It goes to whoever's running the situation, the driver or the foreman. You're respecting the job.
ya 'usTa is master. A mechanic is 'usTa. So is a driver who knows the roads. The ' is the Cairo q, said as a stop in the throat, so it sounds like OO-sta.
Respect and flattery
ya 7agg is for an older man. The word means someone who has done the pilgrimage, and nobody checks. Past a certain age every man is 7agg and every woman is 7agga. It's the polite default and you can't go wrong with it.
means handsome, and you'll hear it from sellers in Khan el-Khalili. It's aimed at your wallet. Smile, and know what it is.
The longer list
Once you've got those six, these turn up too.
| They say | It means | Who says it |
|---|---|---|
| ya beeh | Bey | a step up from basha, mostly ironic now |
| ya kabten | Captain | to a young man |
| ya 'ostaaz | Sir, teacher | polite, to any educated-looking man |
| ya madaam | Ma'am | French madame, polite to a woman |
| ya doktoor | Doctor | to anyone who looks like they might be one |
| 'afandim | Sir? Pardon? | Turkish, when they didn't catch what you said |
| ya 3amm | Uncle | to any older man, warmly |
| ya TanT | Auntie | French tante, to an older woman |
| ya 'amar | Gorgeous | literally moon |
| ya m3allem | Boss | a master craftsman, or the café owner |
| ya Sa7bi | My friend | between men |
| ya gada3 | Good man | the highest praise an Egyptian man gives another |
| ya waad | Boy | to a younger man, friendly or not |
| ya kbeer | Big man | respect, with a grin |
| ya brins | Prince | English, via the street |
What to say back
You don't need to match the word. A ya basha of your own does the job. If someone older calls you ya 7abibi, answer with ya 7agg.