Learn how to ask for help and to call the police
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| In this lesson, we’ll introduce you to some phrases that we hope you won’t ever have to use. While physical violence in Egypt is not prevalent, you should be careful when you're traveling. In addition, this phrase is not limited to threatening situations, as you can also use it if you or someone around you is in need of immediate assistance. In this lesson, we’ll learn how to call for help. |
| It’s always best to play it safe and master some important and useful phrases to use in case of emergency. |
| In Egyptian Arabic, “Help!” is |
| elḥa’oony! |
| (slow)elḥa’oony! |
| إلحقوني |
| Now let’s hear it again. |
| elḥa’oony! Literally, this means, “Save me”. |
| The emergency phone number in Egypt is 112, unique for police, ambulance, fire brigade or military police force. You can call from a public phone or from a cell phone. It’s free of charge. |
| “Call the emergency number!” in Egyptian Arabic is ettesel bel nagdah! |
| (slow) ettesel bel nagdah! |
| ettesel bel nagdah! |
| إتصل بالنجدة |
| The first word ettesel is the imperative form of the verb that means “to call”. It refers to a phone call. |
| (slow) ettesel. |
| ettesel. |
| The second word bel is a combination of two words; b which is a particle meaning “for or with” and al meaning “the”. “b” always follows the verb ettesel - it attaches to the object of the verb. The two parts blend together to make |
| (slow) bel. |
| bel. |
| At the end we have nagdah, which literally means “help”. |
| (slow) nagdah. |
| nagdah. |
| The whole expression is ettesel bel nagdah |
| Literally translated as “Call for the help!” |
| If you need to call the police you will have to say: “Call the police!” |
| In Egyptian Arabic that is ettesel bel bolice! |
| إتصل بالبوليس |
| The second word bolice means “police”. |
| (slow) bolice |
| bolice |
| Let’s hear the entire sentence again: |
| ettesel bel bolice! |
| If you need to call the fire department say: |
| ettesel bel mataafy! |
| (slow) ettesel bel mataafy! |
| إتصل بالمطافي! |
| The word mataafy is translated as “fire department”. |
| (slow) mataafy. |
| mataafy. |
| The whole expression one more time is: |
| ettesel bel mataafy! |
| “Call the fire station!” |
| Another useful expression is “Call the ambulance”. |
| ettesel bel es’aaf! |
| (slow) ettesel bel es’aaf! |
| إتصل بالإسعاف |
| The word es’aaf means “ambulance”. |
| (slow) es’aaf. |
| es’aaf. |
| The whole sentence is ettesel bel es’aaf! |
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